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Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons Salary in Washington

SOC 47-3014 · Washington · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$39,354
$18.92/hr
2.8% lower than the US national median ($40,477)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Helpers--Painters salary in Washington in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$36K
P25$37K
P50$39K
P75$52K
P90$57K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $39,354 to $52,062 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Helpers--Painters pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 6.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · STABLE

Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 1.7 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.3% per year, holding steady.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons in Washington is $39,354 per year ($18.92/hr). This is 2.8% lower than the national median of $40,477.

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).

Wage Percentiles: Washington

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P10Entry level$17.21$35,797+14.7%
P25$17.95$37,336+1.4%
P50MEDIAN$18.92$39,354-2.8%
P75$25.03$52,062+6.1%
P90Top earners$27.32$56,826+9.3%
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Helpers--Painters
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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 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Building Finishing Contractors
NAICS 238300
5K$41,410
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
310$37,990
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons salary in Washington?

The median (P50) annual salary for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons in Washington is approximately $39,354, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 2.8% lower than the national median of $40,477. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in Washington

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Construction Laborers47-2061View salary →First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers47-1011View salary →Electricians47-2111View salary →Carpenters47-2031View salary →Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators47-2073View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
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About This Data

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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

About CompSignal

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