Tapers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,670 | $21.00 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $68,270 | $32.82 |
| Mean (average) | $72,710 | $34.96 |
| 90th percentile | $107,110 | $51.50 |
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
Tapers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 28 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $56,300 | $39,780 | $76,610 | 780 | 2.92 |
| California | $73,460 | $45,800 | $115,370 | 4,540 | 3.02 |
| Colorado | $54,500 | $49,240 | $55,930 | ||
| Connecticut | $63,600 | $48,000 | $84,580 | 80 | 0.54 |
| Florida | $49,400 | $39,020 | $54,080 | ||
| Hawaii | $95,490 | $48,890 | $101,610 | 170 | 3.22 |
| Idaho | $57,690 | $36,930 | $93,130 | 310 | 4.32 |
| Illinois | $113,180 | $79,230 | $116,500 | 320 | 0.63 |
| Indiana | $42,810 | $36,400 | $110,340 | 120 | 0.44 |
| Iowa | $66,980 | $55,920 | $70,400 | 100 | 0.8 |
| Kansas | $74,120 | $49,900 | $81,040 | 30 | 0.28 |
| Massachusetts | $65,060 | $37,670 | $115,390 | 510 | 1.68 |
| Michigan | $63,630 | $60,890 | $70,620 | 190 | 0.52 |
| Minnesota | $78,090 | $72,230 | $89,370 | 220 | 0.92 |
| Missouri | $63,020 | $48,230 | $83,330 | 220 | 0.9 |
| Nevada | $60,690 | $43,840 | $101,090 | 1,190 | 9.26 |
| New Mexico | $48,320 | $45,730 | $60,780 | 60 | 0.83 |
| New York | $77,790 | $52,900 | $108,660 | ||
| North Carolina | $45,770 | $34,750 | $46,040 | ||
| Ohio | $73,840 | $64,300 | $97,170 | 110 | 0.23 |
| Oregon | $71,450 | $48,620 | $100,880 | 500 | 3.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,240 | $37,650 | $105,190 | 60 | 0.11 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,570 | $23,230 | $29,550 | 90 | 1.13 |
| Texas | $43,670 | $36,880 | $47,620 | 220 | 0.19 |
| Utah | $52,930 | $38,400 | $72,890 | 210 | 1.44 |
| Washington | $79,040 | $50,650 | $103,880 | 1,550 | 5.3 |
| West Virginia | $41,600 | $31,200 | $61,520 | 30 | 0.52 |
| Wisconsin | $57,840 | $21,490 | $89,660 | 70 | 0.29 |
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 tapers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 19.4%.
- 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 tapers
- 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
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
- Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.
- Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas.
- Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts.
- Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.
- Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
- Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.
- Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.
Technology skills
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Applied Computer Systems JOBPOWER
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- DevWave Estimate Works
- Microsoft Dynamics
- On Center Quick Bid
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Instructing.
Common job titles: Drywall Finisher, Drywall Mechanic, Drywall Taper, Finisher, Patch Guy, Patcher, Sheetrock Finisher, Taper Finisher.
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 tapers make?
The national median annual wage for tapers was $68,270 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $43,670 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $107,110. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do tapers 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 tapers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of tapers to change -1.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay tapers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Illinois ($113,180), Hawaii ($95,490), Pennsylvania ($82,240). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.