Tapers earn a median of $68,270 per year ($32.82/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 1.6% through 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-2082
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Taper in four numbers
- Median pay
- $68,270a year, or $32.82/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $44KTop 10% $107K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.6%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 90015,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202515.8K
- Projected 203515.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 15.8K Projected 2035 15.5K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Drywall Finisher, Drywall Mechanic, Drywall Taper, Finisher, Patch Guy, Patcher.
Pay
How much do Tapers make?
Every taper in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$68,270
Middle half earn $52,730 to $88,540
- 10th
- $43,670
- 25th
- $52,730
- 75th
- $88,540
- 90th
- $107,110
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $43,670 |
| 25th | $52,730 |
| Median | $68,270 |
| 75th | $88,540 |
| 90th | $107,110 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $68,270
- Median hourly wage
- $32.82/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $72,710
- People employed
- 12,840
Versus all US occupations
At $68,270, Tapers earn 34% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $17,290 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 14% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $107,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $43,670, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 43% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Illinois pays the most at $113,180, and still leads at $113,228 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Tapers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Illinois | $113,180 | $113,228 | 320 |
| 2Hawaii | $95,490 | $86,848 | 170 |
| 3Pennsylvania | $82,240 | $84,286 | 60 |
| 4Washington | $79,040 | $73,860 | 1,550 |
| 5Minnesota | $78,090 | $79,182 | 220 |
| 6New York | $77,790 | $72,081 | N/A |
| 7Kansas | $74,120 | $82,293 | 30 |
| 8Ohio | $73,840 | $79,591 | 110 |
| 9California | $73,460 | $66,348 | 4,540 |
| 10Oregon | $71,450 | $69,127 | 500 |
Job outlook
Is Taper a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tapers | −1.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Tapers to change -1.6% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 300 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 900 openings are projected each year, 5.7% of the 15,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.
Despite limited employment growth, about 7,600 openings for drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers varies by occupation (see table).
Getting in
How to become a Taper
Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Taper do?
Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
Drywall installers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers both install and tape wallboard.
Day-to-day tasks
- Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
- 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.
- Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.
- Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard.
- Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.
- Use mechanical applicators that spread compounds and embed tape in one operation.
- Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers work full time.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where tapers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Drywall and insulation contractors61%
- Self-employed workers19%
- Nonresidential building construction7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Drywall and insulation contractors | 61% |
| Self-employed workers | 19% |
| Nonresidential building construction | 7% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring2.9
- Active Listening2.8
- Speaking2.6
- Critical Thinking2.5
- Reading Comprehension2.1
- Learning Strategies2.0
- Writing1.9
- Active Learning1.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 2.8 |
| Speaking | 2.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
| Writing | 1.9 |
| Active Learning | 1.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Coordination2.6
- Quality Control Analysis2.1
- Judgment and Decision Making2.1
- Instructing2.0
- Service Orientation2.0
- Persuasion1.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.1 |
| Instructing | 2.0 |
| Service Orientation | 2.0 |
| Persuasion | 1.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Taper?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Taper |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.5
- Conventional3.4
- Artistic1.7
- Investigative1.6
- Social1.4
- Enterprising1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Taper
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer
$58,930median a year
Most earn $38K to $102K
+2.5%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
$49,120median a year
Most earn $37K to $78K
+2.4%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher
$57,020median a year
Most earn $39K to $85K
+1.6%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with tapers highlighted
- Taper$68,270
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Taper | $68,270 |
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Taper appears on
Questions
Taper: frequently asked questions
How much do Tapers make?
Tapers earn a median of $68,270 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 34% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $32.82/hr. The middle half earn between $52,730 and $88,540. The top 10% earn $107,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Taper?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Tapers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Taper a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.6% over 2025–2035, a loss of 300 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Taper do?
Drywall installers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. A core O*NET task: press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Tapers the most?
The highest state medians for Tapers are Illinois ($113,180), Hawaii ($95,490), Pennsylvania ($82,240) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Taper?
O*NET scores Tapers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.