Construction and Extraction

Paperhangers

17/100
#437 of 825
$52,140
median pay, U.S.
1,570
employed (2024)
+5.3%
growth, 2024–34
200
openings per year
No formal educational credential
typical entry education

Is paperhangers a good career?

It scores 17/100 and ranks #437 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($52,140 vs $61,390)

What paperhangers earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. paperhangers earn between $44,890 and $60,180 a year.

Best-paying states

California statewide
$62,790
Pennsylvania statewide
$61,800
New York statewide
$60,230
Missouri statewide
$59,560
Indiana statewide
$54,810
Wisconsin statewide
$51,500
Florida statewide
$48,780
North Carolina statewide
$48,590
Colorado statewide
$48,180
Ohio statewide
$47,830
$20k $60k $100k

Best-paying metros

01 San Francisco, CA $71,270
02 New York, NY $63,450
03 St. Louis, MO $59,990
04 Fort Collins, CO $58,550

Strongest employment concentration

01 New York 300
02 California 130
03 Colorado 130
05 Indiana 70
06 Ohio 70

Live paperhangers jobs

No live paperhangers openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified paperhangers openings will appear here — each shown against the $52,140 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a paperhanger

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

High school diploma or equivalent · $63,190 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $63,800 median
No formal educational credential · $49,400 median
Questions about becoming a paperhanger
How much do paperhangers make?

The national median wage is $52,140 a year, with the middle half earning between $44,890 and $60,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is paperhangers a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 17 of 100 and ranks #437 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +5.3% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a paperhanger?

The typical entry-level education is no formal educational credential.

Where do paperhangers earn the most?

Among states, California pays the highest median ($62,790). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →