How much do plasterers make in 2026?
Plasterers are counted in the BLS plasterers and stucco masons series: OEWS May 2025 puts the SOC 47-2161 national median at $57,660 a year ($27.72 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $39,560 and the top 10% at $96,710. The trade contains three markets that behave differently. Production stucco and exterior insulation and finish systems work dominates in the Sun Belt and the Southwest, is weather-dependent and often priced by area, and sits around the middle of the band. Interior veneer plaster and hard-coat plaster on commercial and institutional work pays similarly but is steadier and more specification-driven. Historic and decorative restoration — running cornices in place, casting and repairing ornamental plaster, lime plaster and traditional lath work — is where the top of the band lives, because very few people can do it and the buildings that need it are protected and well funded. Scale matters too: plastering is one of the trades where self-employment and small crews are common, so the top decile includes owner-operators capturing margin as well as wages. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034 with roughly 1,900 openings a year. → Full plasterer career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $57,660 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Plasterers earn a national median $57,660/yr ($27.72/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2161); the P10 to P90 range is $39,560 to $96,710.
- Plasterers and stucco masons have a dedicated BLS series: a $57,660 median inside a $39,560 to $96,710 band, covering three quite different markets.
- Historic and decorative restoration — run-in-place cornices, ornamental casting, lime plaster — occupies the top of the band because the skill is genuinely rare and the buildings are funded.
- Self-employment is common in this trade, so the upper part of the distribution includes owner-operators capturing business margin rather than wages alone.
US Plasterer Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do plasterers earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 47-2161; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2161, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a plasterer earn at each career stage?
Plastering pay follows material range and whether you can restore as well as apply. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 47-2161.
By State
Which states pay plasterers the most in 2026?
The state figures below are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Plastering geography is climate-driven in a way few trades are: stucco and exterior finish systems dominate warm, dry regions, hard-coat and veneer plaster follow institutional construction, and restoration work concentrates in cities with protected historic building stock.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($66,310), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay plasterers the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Metros with dense historic districts pay ornamental and restoration plasterers well above the modeled figure, because the work is specified by conservation requirements and the qualified pool is tiny.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a plasterer’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does plasterer pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Plasterers sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify plasterer wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a plasterer actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Plasterer Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
Plasterer career research journey
Do your homework, then let the network do the rest.Get the job, then keep rising
FreeSet your intent, matching jobs come to you. No applying.
A roadmap to your next licence tier and higher pay band.
Once placed, we cover all certification, licence & career-guide fees.
Hiring plasterers?
Get a verified shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates in 48 hours
GlobalCybers verifies active state licenses, trade certifications, Intent and right-to-work status before any candidate reaches your portal. Flat $2,999/mo RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), up to 3 concurrent roles, or a free trial (pay on hire). 90-day written guarantee.
Related · Plasterer
Everything for plasterers in one place
Salary data, licensing, interview prep, and hiring, all cross-linked so you (and search engines) can move through the full plasterer cluster.