Tapers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for taperss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Illinois$107,380
- Hawaii$88,780
- New York$82,070
- Minnesota$79,930
- Washington$77,070
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- North Carolina$41,660
- West Virginia$42,730
- Texas$44,420
- Florida$47,280
- New Mexico$52,040
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $107,380 | $113,180 | $52 | +47.7% | 320 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $88,780 | $95,490 | $43 | +22.1% | 170 |
| 3 | New York | $82,070 | $77,790 | $39 | +12.9% | — |
| 4 | Minnesota | $79,930 | $78,090 | $38 | +9.9% | 220 |
| 5 | Washington | $77,070 | $79,040 | $37 | +6% | 1,550 |
| 6 | Oregon | $76,980 | $71,450 | $37 | +5.9% | 500 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $76,290 | $82,240 | $37 | +4.9% | 60 |
| 8 | California | $76,260 | $73,460 | $37 | +4.9% | 4,540 |
| 9 | Ohio | $75,540 | $73,840 | $36 | +3.9% | 110 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $73,580 | $65,060 | $35 | +1.2% | 510 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $68,350 | $63,600 | $33 | -6% | 80 |
| 12 | Kansas | $67,570 | $74,120 | $32 | -7.1% | 30 |
| 13 | Missouri | $66,040 | $63,020 | $32 | -9.2% | 220 |
| 14 | Nevada | $65,990 | $60,690 | $32 | -9.2% | 1,190 |
| 15 | Iowa | $64,010 | $66,980 | $31 | -12% | 100 |
| 16 | Michigan | $63,060 | $63,630 | $30 | -13.3% | 190 |
| 17 | Idaho | $60,000 | $57,690 | $29 | -17.5% | 310 |
| 18 | Arizona | $57,890 | $56,300 | $28 | -20.4% | 780 |
| 19 | Indiana | $56,460 | $42,810 | $27 | -22.3% | 120 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $56,010 | $57,840 | $27 | -23% | 70 |
| 21 | Utah | $55,400 | $52,930 | $27 | -23.8% | 210 |
| 22 | Colorado | $53,130 | $54,500 | $26 | -26.9% | — |
| 23 | New Mexico | $52,040 | $48,320 | $25 | -28.4% | 60 |
| 24 | Florida | $47,280 | $49,400 | $23 | -35% | — |
| 25 | Texas | $44,420 | $43,670 | $21 | -38.9% | 220 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $42,730 | $41,600 | $21 | -41.2% | 30 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $41,660 | $45,770 | $20 | -42.7% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 38 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $113,180 | $105,620 | 290 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $95,490 | $88,800 | 160 |
| 3 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $95,010 | $89,200 | 50 |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $92,810 | $99,680 | 480 |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $92,490 | $82,520 | 360 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,840 | $90,220 | 470 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $81,400 | $72,800 | 130 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $81,040 | $71,350 | 50 |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $81,000 | $87,150 | — |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,340 | $81,400 | 1,120 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing taperss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $100,820 | $104,750 | 50 |
| 2 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $100,820 | $104,750 | 50 |
| 3 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $76,290 | $81,480 | 190 |
| 4 | Drywall and Insulation Contractors | $70,830 | $72,710 | 10,000 |
| 5 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $70,400 | $72,390 | 11,050 |
| 6 | Building Finishing Contractors | $70,380 | $72,200 | 10,820 |
| 7 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $68,270 | $72,710 | 12,840 |
| 8 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $68,270 | $72,710 | 12,840 |
| 9 | Sector 23 - Construction | $68,270 | $72,730 | 12,680 |
| 10 | Nonresidential Building Construction | $68,140 | $76,460 | 1,180 |
| 11 | Construction of Buildings | $67,670 | $74,110 | 1,580 |
| 12 | Residential Building Construction | $67,650 | $67,170 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do tapers make in the U.S.?
The median tapers salary in the United States is $68,270 per year (mean $72,710), and about 80% earn between $43,670 and $107,110.
How much do tapers make per hour?
Roughly $35 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $72,710 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays tapers the most?
Illinois has the highest average pay for tapers at $107,380 per year (median $113,180).
What is the job outlook for tapers?
Employment is projected to change +0.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 1,100 openings per year.