Occupation overview

Paperhangers Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for paperhangers is $52,140, or $25.07 per hour. About 1,570 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $62,790 in California to $46,010 in Tennessee.

Median annual
$52,140
Median hourly
$25.07
Entry level (P10)
$36,020
Top 10% (P90)
$69,050
Employment
1,570
States covered
13

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$36,020
$44,890
$52,140
$60,180
$36,020$52,140$69,050
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $52,140.

Salary by state

All 13 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1California$62,790$30.191300.69
2Pennsylvania$61,800$29.71300.53
3New York$60,230$28.963003.10
4Missouri$59,560$28.63——
5Indiana$54,810$26.35702.04
6Wisconsin$51,500$24.76——
7Florida$48,780$23.45300.35
8North Carolina$48,590$23.361002.00
9Colorado$48,180$23.171304.38
10Ohio$47,830$23.00701.32
11South Carolina$46,800$22.50502.12
12Washington$46,270$22.24——
13Tennessee$46,010$22.12401.14

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do paperhangers make?

The median annual wage for paperhangers in the United States is $52,140, or $25.07 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $36,020, and the top 10% earn $69,050.

How many paperhangers are employed in the U.S.?

About 1,570 people work as paperhangers nationwide.

Which state pays paperhangers the most?

California pays the most at a median of $62,790, followed by Pennsylvania ($61,800) and New York ($60,230).

Which state pays paperhangers the least?

Tennessee has the lowest median at $46,010.

Where are paperhangers jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Colorado at 4.38×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes