Tapers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for tapers is $68,270, or $32.82 per hour. About 12,840 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $113,180 in Illinois to $41,600 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 27 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $113,180 | $54.41 | 320 | 0.63 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $95,490 | $45.91 | 170 | 3.22 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $82,240 | $39.54 | 60 | 0.11 |
| 4 | Washington | $79,040 | $38.00 | 1,550 | 5.30 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $78,090 | $37.54 | 220 | 0.92 |
| 6 | New York | $77,790 | $37.40 | — | — |
| 7 | Kansas | $74,120 | $35.63 | 30 | 0.28 |
| 8 | Ohio | $73,840 | $35.50 | 110 | 0.23 |
| 9 | California | $73,460 | $35.32 | 4,540 | 3.02 |
| 10 | Oregon | $71,450 | $34.35 | 500 | 3.10 |
| 11 | Iowa | $66,980 | $32.20 | 100 | 0.80 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $65,060 | $31.28 | 510 | 1.68 |
| 13 | Michigan | $63,630 | $30.59 | 190 | 0.52 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $63,600 | $30.58 | 80 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Missouri | $63,020 | $30.30 | 220 | 0.90 |
| 16 | Nevada | $60,690 | $29.18 | 1,190 | 9.26 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $57,840 | $27.81 | 70 | 0.29 |
| 18 | Idaho | $57,690 | $27.74 | 310 | 4.32 |
| 19 | Arizona | $56,300 | $27.07 | 780 | 2.92 |
| 20 | Colorado | $54,500 | $26.20 | — | — |
| 21 | Utah | $52,930 | $25.45 | 210 | 1.44 |
| 22 | Florida | $49,400 | $23.75 | — | — |
| 23 | New Mexico | $48,320 | $23.23 | 60 | 0.83 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $45,770 | $22.01 | — | — |
| 25 | Texas | $43,670 | $21.00 | 220 | 0.19 |
| 26 | Indiana | $42,810 | $20.58 | 120 | 0.44 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $41,600 | $20.00 | 30 | 0.52 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do tapers make?
The median annual wage for tapers in the United States is $68,270, or $32.82 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $43,670, and the top 10% earn $107,110.
How many tapers are employed in the U.S.?
About 12,840 people work as tapers nationwide.
Which state pays tapers the most?
Illinois pays the most at a median of $113,180, followed by Hawaii ($95,490) and Pennsylvania ($82,240).
Which state pays tapers the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $41,600.
Where are tapers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nevada at 9.26×.