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The national median salary for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons is $40,477 per year ($19.46/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $36,837 and $49,088 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $52,000 per year. There are approximately 7,490 helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Help painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Construction laborers who do not primarily assist painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons are classified under “Construction Laborers” (47-2061). Apprentice workers are classified with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation (47-2011 through 47-2231).
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+2.3%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
800
per year, on avg
Workforce today
7K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth98% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Building Finishing Contractors
NAICS 238300
5K
$41,410
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
310
$37,990
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors
NAICS 238100
140
$49,600
Nonresidential Building Construction
NAICS 236200
90
$35,860
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
50
$45,680
Wage range across top 5 industries: $35,860 to $49,600 (38% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$15.00
$31,200
P25
$17.71
$36,837
P50MEDIAN
$19.46
$40,477
P75
$23.60
$49,088
P90
$25.00
$52,000
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons salary?
The national median salary for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons is $40,477 per year ($19.46/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $36,837 and $49,088 annually.
How much do top-earning helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons make?
The 90th percentile salary for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons is $52,000 per year ($25.00/hr). The 75th percentile is $49,088 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
Entry-level Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons (10th percentile) earn approximately $31,200 per year ($15.00/hr). The 25th percentile is $36,837 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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