47 Series · SOC 47-2082
Tapers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $68,270
- Median / year
- $107,110
- Top 10% earn
- +0.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 12,840
- US workers
Tapers earn a median of $68,270 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $68,270, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $43,670 (10th percentile) to $107,110 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,840 US workers. Illinois pays the most ($113,180), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Tapers earn a median of $68,270, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 60% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #11 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.1% by 2033.
- $68,270
- Median annual wage
- Top 40%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #11 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Illinois at $113,180. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Tapers (SOC 47-2082) pays a national median of $68,270 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $43,670 at the 10th percentile to $107,110 at the 90th, with a mean of $72,710 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 12,840 Americans work in this occupation across 28 reporting states and 39 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 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. Illinois pays the highest state median at $113,180, which is +66% above the national figure. The top metro is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $113,180 - 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
$68,270
per year
Median Hourly
$32.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$72,710
average
Employment
12,840
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Tapers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$68,270 Top 40% higher than 60% 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 Tapers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Tapers sits on the slower-growing side at +0.1% growth and $68,270 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.1%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,100
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 Tapers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas.
- ▸ Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
- ▸ Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
- ▸ Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.
- ▸ Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.
- ▸ Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard.
- ▸ Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.
- ▸ Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts.
- ▸ Select the correct sealing compound or tape.
- ▸ Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.
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
$43,670
25th Percentile
$52,730
Median
$68,270
75th Percentile
$88,540
90th Percentile
$107,110
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 28 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $113,180 | +66% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $95,490 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $82,240 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $79,040 | +16% above national |
| 5 | Minnesota | $78,090 | +14% above national |
| 6 | New York | $77,790 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Kansas | $74,120 | +9% above national |
| 8 | Ohio | $73,840 | +8% above national |
| 9 | California | $73,460 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $71,450 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Iowa | $66,980 | 2% below national |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $65,060 | 5% below national |
| 13 | Michigan | $63,630 | 7% below national |
| 14 | Connecticut | $63,600 | 7% below national |
| 15 | Missouri | $63,020 | 8% below national |
| 16 | Nevada | $60,690 | 11% below national |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $57,840 | 15% below national |
| 18 | Idaho | $57,690 | 15% below national |
| 19 | Arizona | $56,300 | 18% below national |
| 20 | Colorado | $54,500 | 20% below national |
| 21 | Utah | $52,930 | 22% below national |
| 22 | Florida | $49,400 | 28% below national |
| 23 | New Mexico | $48,320 | 29% below national |
| 24 | North Carolina | $45,770 | 33% below national |
| 25 | Texas | $43,670 | 36% below national |
| 26 | Indiana | $42,810 | 37% below national |
| 27 | West Virginia | $41,600 | 39% below national |
| 28 | Puerto Rico | $27,570 | 60% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 39 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $113,180 | +66% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $95,490 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $95,010 | +39% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $92,810 | +36% above national |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $92,490 | +35% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,840 | +24% above national |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $81,400 | +19% above national |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $81,040 | +19% above national |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $81,000 | +19% above national |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,340 | +18% above national |
| 11 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $78,090 | +14% above national |
| 12 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $76,720 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $75,850 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $73,840 | +8% above national |
| 15 | Syracuse, NY | $71,970 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Salem, OR | $71,430 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $70,810 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Fresno, CA | $69,340 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $68,270 | same as national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $68,020 | same as national |
| 21 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $67,050 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $66,830 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $61,870 | 9% below national |
| 24 | Rochester, NY | $61,480 | 10% below national |
| 25 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $61,470 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Reno, NV | $61,050 | 11% below national |
| 27 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,670 | 11% below national |
| 28 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $60,430 | 11% below national |
| 29 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $59,740 | 12% below national |
| 30 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $59,740 | 12% below national |
| 31 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $58,780 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $58,530 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Boise City, ID | $57,690 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Ogden, UT | $56,380 | 17% below national |
| 35 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $54,530 | 20% below national |
| 36 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $51,230 | 25% below national |
| 37 | Albuquerque, NM | $48,420 | 29% below national |
| 38 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,620 | 30% below national |
| 39 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $27,570 | 60% 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
How much does a Tapers make? ▼
What state pays Tapers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Tapers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Tapers? ▼
Is Tapers a good career? ▼
How does Tapers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Tapers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Tapers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $88,540/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: Illinois leads at $113,180/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.