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Drywall taper: 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.

$68,270median pay per year, or $32.82 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $43,670lowest 10% earn less
  2. $52,73025th percentile
  3. $68,270median
  4. $88,54075th percentile
  5. $107,110top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median drywall taper earned $68,270 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to dip 1.6% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-1.6%[2]
Openings per year
900[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do drywall tapers make?

The official BLS category is Tapers. In May 2025, the median wage was $68,270 a year, or $32.82 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $72,710 a year, or $34.96 an hour[7].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[4].

Here is how annual pay spread across the occupation[3]:

Point in the range Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $43,670
25th percentile[3] $52,730
Median[1] $68,270
75th percentile[3] $88,540
90th percentile[3] $107,110

A percentile is a boundary. For example, the lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $43,670[3][8]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8]. By the hour, the 10th percentile was $21.00 and the 90th percentile was $51.50[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, both part-time and full-time. They leave out self-employed people and the cost of benefits[10]. That matters here, because 19.4% of tapers were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Illinois had the highest median wage among the 27 states with published data, at $113,180 a year, based on 320 jobs[12]. Hawaii was next at $95,490 and Pennsylvania followed at $82,240 (60 jobs)[12]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median at $41,600 (30 jobs)[12]. Some of these medians rest on small job counts.

The most jobs were in California (4,540), Washington (1,550) and Nevada (1,190)[13]. Arizona (780) and Massachusetts (510) came next[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ($113,180), Urban Honolulu, HI ($95,490) and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,810)[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, with 1,220 jobs and a median of $68,020[15]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had 1,120 jobs and a median of $80,340[15].

Show median pay in 27 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Illinois[12]$113,180320
Hawaii$95,490170
Pennsylvania$82,24060
Washington$79,0401,550
Minnesota$78,090220
New York$77,790n/a
Kansas$74,12030
Ohio$73,840110
California$73,4604,540
Oregon$71,450500
Iowa$66,980100
Massachusetts$65,060510
Michigan$63,630190
Connecticut$63,60080
Missouri$63,020220
Nevada$60,6901,190
Wisconsin$57,84070
Idaho$57,690310
Arizona$56,300780
Colorado$54,500n/a
Utah$52,930210
Florida$49,400n/a
New Mexico$48,32060
North Carolina$45,770n/a
Texas$43,670220
Indiana$42,810120
West Virginia$41,60030

How to become a drywall taper

BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience for entry, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers tapers together with other related occupations, so they describe the wider group[16].

Trainees may begin with carrying materials and cleaning up, then learn the tools[18]. Apprentices also learn safety rules, many of them standardized through OSHA[21].

With experience, workers may move up to roles such as supervisor, project manager or estimator, or start their own business[22].

The facts do not give apprenticeship costs or licensing rules, so check with local contractors.

What drywall tapers do

Tapers seal the joints between sheets of plasterboard or other wallboard so the wall is ready for painting or papering[23]. O*NET lists these tasks[24]:

Workers report job titles such as drywall finisher, drywall mechanic and patcher[25]. The BLS profile also names attention to detail, balance, dexterity and the ability to work at heights as important qualities[26][27][28][29].

Where they work

The work is indoors and physically demanding[30]. Much of the day involves standing, bending or reaching, and workers often lift heavy wallboard[30]. Most work full time[31]. In the wider BLS profile group, drywall and insulation contractors employed 63% of workers in 2025[32].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,800 to 15,500 jobs, a change of -300[2]. Those counts include self-employed workers[2]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[33].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 900 openings a year on average[5]. Openings come from retirements and moves to other occupations as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.9% move to a different occupation[34].

OEWS counted about 12,840 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[35]. This differs from the projection count because the two measures cover different groups[35][2].

Is it a good fit?

The job needs no formal credential, and training happens on the job[6]. Pay is above the all-occupations median, with a wide spread from lowest to highest[1][3][4]. The work is physically demanding[30]. Employment is projected to dip slightly, though about 900 openings a year are expected[2][5]. Related trades such as drywall and ceiling tile installers and plasterers also list median pay and projected growth in O*NET[36].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a drywall taper make an hour?
The median was $32.82 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $34.96[1][7].
Do you need a degree to be a drywall taper?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
How long does it take to become a drywall taper?
On-the-job training typically lasts up to 12 months, and apprenticeships typically last 2 to 4 years, according to a BLS profile covering a wider group[16][18][19].
What is the highest paying state for drywall tapers?
Illinois, with a median of $113,180 a year in May 2025[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Tapers in the US was $68,270 per year and $32.82 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Tapers is projected to decline 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,800 to 15,500 jobs (a change of -300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Tapers: 10th percentile $43,670, 25th percentile $52,730, 75th percentile $88,540, 90th percentile $107,110. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Tapers 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 Tapers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Tapers was $72,710 per year and $34.96 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. 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
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Tapers: 10th percentile $21.00, 25th percentile $25.35, 75th percentile $42.57, 90th percentile $51.50. 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: 19.4% of Tapers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Tapers 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 Tapers jobs: California 4,540; Washington 1,550; Nevada 1,190; Arizona 780; Massachusetts 510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Tapers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $113,180; Urban Honolulu, HI $95,490; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $92,810; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $92,490; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $84,840; St. Louis, MO-IL $81,400; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $80,340; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $78,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Tapers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,220 (median $68,020); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,120 (median $80,340); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 900 (median $60,670); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 730 (median $59,740); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 610 (median $60,430); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 480 (median $92,810). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers" covers Tapers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of Tapers. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Tapers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 47-2082.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Drywall Finisher, Drywall Mechanic, Drywall Taper, Finisher, Patch Guy, Patcher, Sheetrock Finisher, Taper Finisher. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers in 2025: Drywall and insulation contractors 63%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Tapers: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,840 people were employed as Tapers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  36. 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. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.