Floor sanders and finishers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,070 | $17.82 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,440 | $24.25 |
| Mean (average) | $52,460 | $25.22 |
| 90th percentile | $70,340 | $33.82 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Floor sanders and finishers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 24 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $55,180 | $47,350 | $58,550 | 130 | 1.94 |
| Florida | $52,060 | $32,640 | $56,060 | 270 | 1.15 |
| Georgia | $40,530 | $37,250 | $58,780 | ||
| Indiana | $46,520 | $38,390 | $120,510 | ||
| Iowa | $46,810 | $31,660 | $95,680 | 30 | 0.91 |
| Kentucky | $54,580 | $46,750 | $80,150 | ||
| Maryland | $51,100 | $35,640 | $76,320 | ||
| Massachusetts | $58,230 | $45,380 | $68,680 | ||
| Michigan | $51,400 | $37,440 | $59,620 | ||
| Minnesota | $62,940 | $55,290 | $62,950 | ||
| Missouri | $48,540 | $44,670 | $57,030 | ||
| Nebraska | $43,880 | $39,520 | $49,530 | ||
| New Hampshire | $47,310 | $46,800 | $53,170 | ||
| New York | $60,470 | $49,350 | $72,560 | 240 | 1.05 |
| North Carolina | $39,170 | $31,190 | $47,590 | 190 | 1.59 |
| Ohio | $48,000 | $38,480 | $58,750 | ||
| Oregon | $62,020 | $57,910 | $68,280 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $45,450 | $36,980 | $79,370 | 30 | 0.22 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,980 | $21,840 | $24,410 | ||
| South Carolina | $44,310 | $39,470 | $48,320 | 60 | 1.03 |
| Texas | $40,120 | $36,180 | $56,070 | 140 | 0.42 |
| Utah | $74,240 | $65,430 | $77,410 | 30 | 0.84 |
| Virginia | $46,860 | $31,140 | $67,200 | 110 | 1.08 |
| Washington | $55,620 | $38,050 | $81,110 | 90 | 1.03 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for floor sanders and finishers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 21.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for floor sanders and finishers
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker CIP 46.0413
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Buff and vacuum floors to ensure their cleanliness prior to the application of finish.
- Scrape and sand floor edges and areas inaccessible to floor sanders, using scrapers, disk-type sanders, and sandpaper.
- Inspect floors for smoothness.
- Attach sandpaper to rollers of sanding machines.
- Guide sanding machines over surfaces of floors until surfaces are smooth.
- Apply filler compound and coats of finish to floors to seal wood.
- Remove excess glue from joints, using knives, scrapers, or wood chisels.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Floor planning software
- FloorCOST Estimator for Excel
- Flooring Technologies QFloors
- Measure Square
- Pacific Solutions FloorRight
- Vimeo
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis.
Common job titles: Finisher, Floor Finisher, Floor Mechanic, Floor Refinisher, Floor Sander, Floor Sander and Finisher, Hardwood Floor Finisher and Sander, Hardwood Floor Refinisher, Hardwood Floor Sander, Sander.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do floor sanders and finishers make?
The national median annual wage for floor sanders and finishers was $50,440 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,070 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $70,340. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do floor sanders and finishers need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is floor sanders and finishers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of floor sanders and finishers to change +1.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay floor sanders and finishers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Utah ($74,240), Minnesota ($62,940), Oregon ($62,020). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.