47 Series · SOC 47-2043
Floor Sanders and Finishers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $50,440
- Median / year
- $70,340
- Top 10% earn
- +2.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 3,720
- US workers
Floor Sanders and Finishers earn a median of $50,440 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $50,440, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,070 (10th percentile) to $70,340 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,720 US workers. Utah pays the most ($74,240), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Floor Sanders and Finishers earn a median of $50,440, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 34% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #40 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.6% by 2033.
- $50,440
- Median annual wage
- Top 66%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #40 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Utah at $74,240. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Floor Sanders and Finishers (SOC 47-2043) pays a national median of $50,440 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,070 at the 10th percentile to $70,340 at the 90th, with a mean of $52,460 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 3,720 Americans work in this occupation across 24 reporting states and 7 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Utah pays the highest state median at $74,240, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $63,290 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$50,440
per year
Median Hourly
$24.25/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$52,460
average
Employment
3,720
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Floor Sanders and Finishers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$50,440 Bottom 34% higher than 34% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Floor Sanders and Finishers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Floor Sanders and Finishers sits on the slower-growing side at +2.6% growth and $50,440 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Floor Sanders and Finishers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Buff and vacuum floors to ensure their cleanliness prior to the application of finish.
- ▸ Scrape and sand floor edges and areas inaccessible to floor sanders, using scrapers, disk-type sanders, and sandpaper.
- ▸ Inspect floors for smoothness.
- ▸ Attach sandpaper to rollers of sanding machines.
- ▸ Guide sanding machines over surfaces of floors until surfaces are smooth.
- ▸ Apply filler compound and coats of finish to floors to seal wood.
- ▸ Remove excess glue from joints, using knives, scrapers, or wood chisels.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$37,070
25th Percentile
$41,600
Median
$50,440
75th Percentile
$59,620
90th Percentile
$70,340
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 24 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $74,240 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Minnesota | $62,940 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Oregon | $62,020 | +23% above national |
| 4 | New York | $60,470 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $58,230 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $55,620 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $55,180 | +9% above national |
| 8 | Kentucky | $54,580 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Florida | $52,060 | +3% above national |
| 10 | Michigan | $51,400 | +2% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $51,100 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Missouri | $48,540 | 4% below national |
| 13 | Ohio | $48,000 | 5% below national |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $47,310 | 6% below national |
| 15 | Virginia | $46,860 | 7% below national |
| 16 | Iowa | $46,810 | 7% below national |
| 17 | Indiana | $46,520 | 8% below national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $45,450 | 10% below national |
| 19 | South Carolina | $44,310 | 12% below national |
| 20 | Nebraska | $43,880 | 13% below national |
| 21 | Georgia | $40,530 | 20% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $40,120 | 20% below national |
| 23 | North Carolina | $39,170 | 22% below national |
| 24 | Puerto Rico | $21,980 | 56% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 7 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,290 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $62,940 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $56,800 | +13% above national |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $54,580 | +8% above national |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $47,800 | 5% below national |
| 6 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $40,530 | 20% below national |
| 7 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $39,920 | 21% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Floor Sanders and Finishers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $59,620/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Utah leads at $74,240/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.