Occupation salary profile

Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

SOC 47-3014 BLS OEWS May 2025

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).

National median · BLS
$40,470
▲ +6.11% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$42,440
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
7,490
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$31,200
25th$36,830
Median (50th)$40,470
75th$49,090
90th — top pay$52,000

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

BLS projects employment of helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
7,600 → 7,700
+100 jobs
Projected change
+1.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Coordination3.0
  • Speaking3.0
  • Active Listening2.9
  • Critical Thinking2.8
  • Monitoring2.8
  • Time Management2.8
  • Operations Monitoring2.6
  • Quality Control Analysis2.6
  • Social Perceptiveness2.6
  • Equipment Maintenance2.5
Top knowledge areas
  • Building and Construction3.1
  • English Language3.1
  • Administration and Management2.3
  • Public Safety and Security2.2
  • Mathematics2.2
  • Customer and Personal Service2.2
  • Design2.1
  • Education and Training2.0
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareA-Systems JobViewApple iWorkConstruction Software Center EasyEstCost estimating softwareEvergreen Technology Eagle Bid EstimatingOn Center Quick BidSage Construction AnywhereTurtle Creek Software Goldenseal

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons do

  • Clean work areas and equipment.
  • Supply or hold tools and materials.
  • Apply protective coverings, such as masking tape, to articles or areas that could be damaged or stained by work processes.
  • Smooth surfaces of articles to be painted, using sanding and buffing tools and equipment.
  • Erect scaffolding.
  • Perform support duties to assist painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or masons.
  • Fill cracks or breaks in surfaces of plaster articles or areas with putty or epoxy compounds.
  • Mix plaster, and carry plaster to plasterers.
Also called
HelperPainter HelperPlaster HelperPlaster TenderPainter Assistant
More job titles for this occupation (15)
Billboard Poster HelperBridge Painter HelperDry Plasterer HelperExterior Work HelperHighway Painter HelperHouse Painter HelperOrnamental Plasterer HelperPaperhanger AssistantPlasterer TenderScaffolding HelperShip Painter HelperShipyard Painter HelperSwimming Pool Plasterer HelperWallpaper Hanger HelperWallpaperer Helper

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.