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Paperhanger: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$52,140median pay per year, or $25.07 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,020lowest 10% earn less
  2. $44,89025th percentile
  3. $52,140median
  4. $60,18075th percentile
  5. $69,050top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Paperhangers earned a median of $52,140 a year in May 2025, a little above the median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, but the job is a small one[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4.3%[3]
Openings per year
200[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do paperhangers make?

The median wage for paperhangers was $52,140 a year, or $25.07 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $53,730 a year, or $25.83 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2].

The range is fairly wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,020 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $69,050[4]. The lowest-paid 25% earned less than $44,890, and the highest-paid 25% earned more than $60,180[4]. Hourly, those boundaries were $17.32, $21.58, $28.93 and $33.20[8].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][8] $36,020 $17.32
25th[4][8] $44,890 $21.58
Median[1] $52,140 $25.07
75th[4][8] $60,180 $28.93
90th[4][8] $69,050 $33.20

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[10]. That matters here, because 32.1% of paperhangers were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Median pay data is published for 13 states[12]. California was first at $62,790, followed by Pennsylvania at $61,800 and New York at $60,230[12]. Tennessee was last of the 13 at $46,010[12].

New York had the most paperhanger jobs with 300, then California and Colorado with 130 each[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median at $63,450[14]. It also had the most jobs at 220[15]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had 30 jobs and a median of $71,270[15].

Show median pay in 13 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$62,790130
Pennsylvania$61,80030
New York$60,230300
Missouri$59,560n/a
Indiana$54,81070
Wisconsin$51,500n/a
Florida$48,78030
North Carolina$48,590100
Colorado$48,180130
Ohio$47,83070
South Carolina$46,80050
Washington$46,270n/a
Tennessee$46,01040

How to become a paperhanger

The facts describe a short list of requirements:

O*NET places the job in a group that needs very little to some preparation. Some jobs in that group need little experience, and others need several months to a year[16]. The facts do not say how long the training lasts, and they do not list a license.

What paperhangers do

Paperhangers put decorative wallpaper or fabric on the inside walls or ceilings of rooms. Some also put up advertising posters. They may strip old materials or prepare the surface first[17]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as wall covering installer, vinyl hanger and billposter[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects paperhanger employment to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 2,300 to 2,400 jobs, a gain of about 100[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[20]. The counts include self-employed workers[3].

About 200 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[21].

OEWS counted about 1,570 wage and salary paperhangers in May 2025[22]. The projections count includes self-employed workers[3], while OEWS does not[10].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay slightly above the all-occupations median, with a wide spread between the lowest and highest earners[1][2][4]. Entry does not require a formal credential or related experience, but training on the job is long-term[6]. This is a small field, with about 1,570 wage jobs and only about 100 more projected by 2035[22][3]. Local pay and demand can differ a lot, so state and metro figures are worth checking[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a paperhanger make an hour?
The median was $25.07 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $25.83[1][7].
What education do you need to be a paperhanger?
No formal educational credential is typically needed, and training is long-term on the job[6].
Is paperhanging in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 200 openings are expected each year[3][20][5].
What is the highest paying state for paperhangers?
California, at a median of $62,790, is first among the 13 states with published data[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Paperhangers in the US was $52,140 per year and $25.07 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Paperhangers is projected to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 2,300 to 2,400 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Paperhangers: 10th percentile $36,020, 25th percentile $44,890, 75th percentile $60,180, 90th percentile $69,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 200 openings for Paperhangers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Paperhangers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Paperhangers was $53,730 per year and $25.83 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Paperhangers: 10th percentile $17.32, 25th percentile $21.58, 75th percentile $28.93, 90th percentile $33.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 32.1% of Paperhangers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Paperhangers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Paperhangers jobs: New York 300; California 130; Colorado 130; North Carolina 100; Indiana 70. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Paperhangers (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $63,450. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Paperhangers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 220 (median $63,450); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 30 (median $71,270). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 47-2142.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Paperhangers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Paperhangers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 47-2142.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bill Board Poster, Bill Poster, Billposter, Hanger, Installer, Paper Hanger, Vinyl Hanger, Wall Covering Installer. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Paperhangers: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,570 people were employed as Paperhangers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.