Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Median $49,400
Occupation · SOC 47-2142
Paperhangers: pay and where the jobs are
What paperhangers earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$52,140 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $53,730
- Median hourly wage
- $25.07
- Mean hourly wage
- $25.83
- Employment
- 1,570
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 47-2142.
Check your pay
See where your pay falls among paperhangers nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Enter your pay to see where it falls.
Use these numbers
How much do paperhangers make?
The median annual wage for paperhangers was $52,140 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,020 and the highest-paid 10% more than $69,050. As an hourly rate, the median is $25.07. About 1,570 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in California ($62,790), Pennsylvania ($61,800) and New York ($60,230). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Missouri.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for paperhangers looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,020 | $17.32 | $3,002 | $2,594 |
| 25th percentile | $44,890 | $21.58 | $3,741 | $3,187 |
| Median | $52,140 | $25.07 | $4,345 | $3,673 |
| 75th percentile | $60,180 | $28.93 | $5,015 | $4,211 |
| 90th percentile | $69,050 | $33.20 | $5,754 | $4,784 |
Paperhangers: pay by state
13 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$53,046 take-home in national prices
2
$51,137 take-home in national prices
3
$47,823 take-home in national prices
Where a median paperhanger paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 130 | $62,790 | $57,690 | $97,120 | $50,009 | $45,167 |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | $61,800 | $46,030 | $63,590 | $49,896 | $51,137 |
| New York | 300 | $60,230 | $52,130 | $76,130 | $47,628 | $44,132 |
| Missouri | Not published | $59,560 | $51,970 | $68,890 | $48,174 | $53,046 |
| Indiana | 70 | $54,810 | $41,330 | $60,570 | $44,632 | $47,823 |
| Wisconsin | Not published | $51,500 | $35,060 | $59,990 | $41,910 | $44,540 |
| Florida | 30 | $48,780 | $27,730 | $51,490 | $41,375 | $40,009 |
| North Carolina | 100 | $48,590 | $25,070 | $58,600 | $39,792 | $42,186 |
| Colorado | 130 | $48,180 | $42,810 | $58,550 | $39,269 | $38,106 |
| Ohio | 70 | $47,830 | $44,050 | $60,180 | $39,740 | $42,835 |
| South Carolina | 50 | $46,800 | $42,730 | $59,920 | $38,996 | $41,597 |
| Washington | Not published | $46,270 | $44,160 | $73,720 | $38,716 | $36,179 |
| Tennessee | 40 | $46,010 | $40,410 | $51,040 | $39,149 | $42,614 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 47-2142. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.