47 Series · SOC 47-2142
Paperhangers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $52,140
- Median / year
- $69,050
- Top 10% earn
- +5.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 1,570
- US workers
Paperhangers earn a median of $52,140 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $52,140, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,020 (10th percentile) to $69,050 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 1,570 US workers. California pays the most ($62,790), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Paperhangers earn a median of $52,140, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 38% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #39 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.3% by 2033.
- $52,140
- Median annual wage
- Top 62%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #39 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $62,790. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Paperhangers (SOC 47-2142) pays a national median of $52,140 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $36,020 at the 10th percentile to $69,050 at the 90th, with a mean of $53,730 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 1,570 Americans work in this occupation across 13 reporting states and 4 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 200 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 long-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. California pays the highest state median at $62,790, which is +20% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $71,270 - 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
$52,140
per year
Median Hourly
$25.07/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$53,730
average
Employment
1,570
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Paperhangers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$52,140 Bottom 38% higher than 38% 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 Paperhangers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Paperhangers sits on the faster-growing side at +5.3% growth and $52,140 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.3%
About average
Annual Openings
200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Long-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 Paperhangers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.
- ▸ Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives.
- ▸ Trim excess material at ceilings or baseboards, using knives.
- ▸ Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams.
- ▸ Mark vertical guidelines on walls to align strips, using plumb bobs and chalk lines.
- ▸ Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools.
- ▸ Apply adhesives to the backs of paper strips, using brushes, or dunk strips of prepasted wallcovering in water, wiping off any excess adhesive.
- ▸ Measure and cut strips from rolls of wallpaper or fabric, using shears or razors.
- ▸ Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.
- ▸ Fill holes, cracks, and other surface imperfections preparatory to covering surfaces.
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
$36,020
25th Percentile
$44,890
Median
$52,140
75th Percentile
$60,180
90th Percentile
$69,050
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 13 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $62,790 | +20% above national |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $61,800 | +19% above national |
| 3 | New York | $60,230 | +16% above national |
| 4 | Missouri | $59,560 | +14% above national |
| 5 | Indiana | $54,810 | +5% above national |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $51,500 | 1% below national |
| 7 | Florida | $48,780 | 6% below national |
| 8 | North Carolina | $48,590 | 7% below national |
| 9 | Colorado | $48,180 | 8% below national |
| 10 | Ohio | $47,830 | 8% below national |
| 11 | South Carolina | $46,800 | 10% below national |
| 12 | Washington | $46,270 | 11% below national |
| 13 | Tennessee | $46,010 | 12% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 4 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,270 | +37% above national |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $63,450 | +22% above national |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $59,990 | +15% above national |
| 4 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $58,550 | +12% above 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
How much does a Paperhangers make? ▼
What state pays Paperhangers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Paperhangers? ▼
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Is Paperhangers a good career? ▼
How does Paperhangers pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Paperhangers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $60,180/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: California leads at $62,790/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.