Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons in the U.S. is $40,470 ($19.46 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $40,470
- Mean annual wage
- $42,440
- Median hourly wage
- $19.46
- Employment
- 7,490
7,490 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 25th percentile | $36,830 | $17.71 |
| Median (50th) | $40,470 | $19.46 |
| 75th percentile | $49,090 | $23.60 |
| 90th percentile | $52,000 | $25.00 |
Highest-paying states for helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $53,340 | 40 |
| New York | $52,000 | — |
| Hawaii | $51,540 | 130 |
| California | $46,220 | 1,990 |
| Montana | $44,720 | 50 |
| Utah | $44,500 | — |
| Virginia | $43,160 | — |
| Connecticut | $43,070 | — |
| Colorado | $42,470 | — |
| Oregon | $40,180 | 240 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $23,470 median annual wage
- Michigan: $30,300 median annual wage
- Arizona: $32,000 median annual wage
- Georgia: $35,430 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $35,860 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Smooth surfaces of articles to be painted, using sanding and buffing tools and equipment.
- Mix plaster, and carry plaster to plasterers.
- Fill cracks or breaks in surfaces of plaster articles or areas with putty or epoxy compounds.
- Place articles to be stripped into stripping tanks.
- Apply protective coverings, such as masking tape, to articles or areas that could be damaged or stained by work processes.
- Remove articles such as cabinets, metal furniture, and paint containers from stripping tanks after prescribed periods of time.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 30.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 40.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.5% |
| Associate's degree | 6.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.0% |
| Master's degree | 0.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.