Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Plasterers and Stucco Masons (SOC 47-2161) earn a median $57,660 a year ($27.72 an hour) in the United States, with 19,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What plasterers and stucco masons do
Plasterers and stucco masons apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco and similar materials, and may also set ornamental plaster. Inside, they apply coats of plaster to walls, ceilings and partitions of buildings with trowels, brushes or spray guns; outside, they apply weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces by troweling or spraying on coats of stucco. Before starting they cover windows, doors and sidewalks to protect them from splashing, set up scaffolds, and clean and prepare surfaces, for example by drywall taping. They mix mortar and plaster to the desired consistency or direct the workers who mix it, work out the materials needed and place orders, and clean the job site afterward. Job titles in the occupation include decorative plasterer and molding plasterer. Drywall installation (47-2081) is related work, classified as a separate occupation.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report that no high school diploma is required, and training happens on the job.
Also called: Applicator, Artisan, Artisan Plasterer, Decorative Plasterer, Dry Plasterer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.02 | $23.06 | $27.72 | $34.28 | $46.50 | $29.83 | 19,310 |
| Annual | $39,560 | $47,970 | $57,660 | $71,310 | $96,710 | $62,050 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where plasterers and stucco masons earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.03 | $35.09 | $57.78 | $57.78 | $57.79 | $48.22 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $52,060 | $73,000 | $120,180 | $120,190 | $120,210 | $100,300 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $27.97 | $38.22 | $50.13 | $51.39 | $51.40 | $45.18 | 110 | 0.18 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $58,180 | $79,490 | $104,260 | $106,890 | $106,900 | $93,970 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $30.77 | $32.21 | $49.29 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $43.45 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $64,000 | $66,990 | $102,530 | $108,160 | $108,160 | $90,380 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $31.20 | $36.68 | $45.09 | $50.80 | $50.83 | $43.00 | 270 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $64,890 | $76,290 | $93,790 | $105,660 | $105,720 | $89,440 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $23.28 | $29.45 | $44.71 | $50.25 | $50.25 | $40.67 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $48,410 | $61,260 | $93,000 | $104,520 | $104,520 | $84,590 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.34 | $23.91 | $28.82 | $35.64 | $45.79 | $30.79 | 6,780 | 0.37 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $46,460 | $49,730 | $59,940 | $74,130 | $95,240 | $64,030 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.06 | $18.84 | $22.80 | $25.37 | $30.18 | $23.17 | 1,970 | 0.20 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $33,410 | $39,180 | $47,420 | $52,760 | $62,770 | $48,190 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $17.83 | $22.30 | $23.80 | $29.07 | $36.53 | $26.05 | 1,910 | 0.59 | 4.76 |
| Annual | $37,080 | $46,390 | $49,510 | $60,460 | $75,980 | $54,180 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $19.54 | $22.08 | $24.59 | $29.03 | $30.00 | $24.92 | 1,400 | 0.10 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $40,650 | $45,920 | $51,140 | $60,370 | $62,400 | $51,830 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $19.74 | $23.26 | $25.78 | $30.78 | $49.31 | $29.43 | 1,150 | 0.74 | 5.95 |
| Annual | $41,060 | $48,390 | $53,610 | $64,020 | $102,570 | $61,210 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $29.75 | $35.10 | $57.78 | $57.78 | $57.79 | $49.31 | 840 | 0.09 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $61,870 | $73,000 | $120,180 | $120,190 | $120,210 | $102,560 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $48.10 | $49.29 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $50.36 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $100,040 | $102,530 | $108,160 | $108,160 | $108,160 | $104,750 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $27.97 | $40.62 | $50.90 | $51.39 | $51.40 | $45.59 | 100 | 0.23 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $58,180 | $84,490 | $105,870 | $106,890 | $106,900 | $94,840 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $33.14 | $44.18 | $46.27 | $50.80 | $50.90 | $44.71 | 190 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $68,920 | $91,900 | $96,240 | $105,670 | $105,870 | $93,000 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $27.78 | $37.74 | $38.58 | $57.32 | $57.33 | $42.08 | 270 | 0.20 | 1.62 |
| Annual | $57,780 | $78,490 | $80,240 | $119,230 | $119,240 | $87,530 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.06 | $23.29 | $27.85 | $36.02 | $48.41 | $30.58 | 1,690 | 0.27 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $45,880 | $48,430 | $57,930 | $74,930 | $100,690 | $63,600 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $18.27 | $23.12 | $23.90 | $29.86 | $38.37 | $26.68 | 1,310 | 0.55 | 4.44 |
| Annual | $38,010 | $48,100 | $49,700 | $62,100 | $79,800 | $55,500 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $21.64 | $23.49 | $25.76 | $29.44 | $37.07 | $27.54 | 1,290 | 0.75 | 6.05 |
| Annual | $45,010 | $48,850 | $53,580 | $61,230 | $77,110 | $57,280 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $29.75 | $35.10 | $57.78 | $57.78 | $57.79 | $49.31 | 840 | 0.09 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $61,870 | $73,000 | $120,180 | $120,190 | $120,210 | $102,560 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $19.61 | $23.34 | $27.47 | $30.78 | $49.64 | $30.27 | 780 | 0.69 | 5.53 |
| Annual | $40,780 | $48,540 | $57,140 | $64,020 | $103,240 | $62,950 | ||||
Top industries employing plasterers and stucco masons
Building Finishing Contractors employ 53.8% of plasterers and stucco masons nationally (10,380 jobs) at a median $57,960 a year ($27.87 an hour), followed by Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (22.3%) and Other Specialty Trade Contractors (11.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 10,380 | 53.8% | $57,960 | $27.87 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 4,310 | 22.3% | $51,350 | $24.69 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 2,250 | 11.7% | $60,370 | $29.03 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 360 | 1.9% | $58,860 | $28.30 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 120 | 0.6% | $78,200 | $37.60 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,340 for plasterers and stucco masons in May 2021 and $57,660 in May 2025, with employment of 26,980 and 19,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,340 | $23.24 | 26,980 |
| May 2022 | $49,730 | $23.91 | 25,950 |
| May 2023 | $52,640 | $25.31 | 22,310 |
| May 2024 | $56,020 | $26.93 | 20,880 |
| May 2025 | $57,660 | $27.72 | 19,310 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
29 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $57.78 | $120,180 | $52,060 | $120,210 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $50.13 | $104,260 | $58,180 | $106,900 | 110 | 0.18 | 1.44 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $49.29 | $102,530 | $64,000 | $108,160 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.43 |
| 4 | Illinois profile | $45.09 | $93,790 | $64,890 | $105,720 | 270 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $44.71 | $93,000 | $48,410 | $104,520 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Missouri profile | $38.16 | $79,380 | $50,450 | $119,240 | 420 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| 7 | Michigan profile | $35.09 | $72,990 | $48,350 | $80,270 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $34.22 | $71,180 | $49,330 | $97,820 | 170 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania profile | $33.67 | $70,030 | $55,570 | $90,160 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $54,990 | $108,490 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $30.83 | $64,120 | $53,100 | $66,340 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.20 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $29.90 | $62,200 | $46,700 | $68,710 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 13 | California profile | $28.82 | $59,940 | $46,460 | $95,240 | 6,780 | 0.37 | 3.00 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $27.35 | $56,890 | $44,370 | $68,480 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
| 15 | Indiana profile | $25.93 | $53,930 | $43,500 | $69,320 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| 16 | Utah profile | $25.82 | $53,710 | $34,990 | $77,110 | 820 | 0.47 | 3.81 |
| 17 | Nevada profile | $25.78 | $53,610 | $41,060 | $102,570 | 1,150 | 0.74 | 5.95 |
| 18 | Kansas profile | $25.69 | $53,440 | $46,880 | $60,320 | 80 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 19 | Washington profile | $24.92 | $51,840 | $41,060 | $66,140 | 440 | 0.12 | 0.99 |
| 20 | Texas profile | $24.59 | $51,140 | $40,650 | $62,400 | 1,400 | 0.10 | 0.80 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $24.37 | $50,700 | $47,150 | $74,320 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| 22 | Louisiana profile | $24.01 | $49,950 | $38,710 | $62,280 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.17 |
| 23 | Arizona profile | $23.80 | $49,510 | $37,080 | $75,980 | 1,910 | 0.59 | 4.76 |
| 24 | Oklahoma profile | $23.78 | $49,450 | $46,300 | $57,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Colorado profile | $22.87 | $47,570 | $38,530 | $77,340 | 480 | 0.17 | 1.35 |
| 26 | Florida profile | $22.80 | $47,420 | $33,410 | $62,770 | 1,970 | 0.20 | 1.60 |
| 27 | Montana profile | $22.38 | $46,540 | $45,900 | $63,860 | 50 | 0.11 | 0.85 |
| 28 | New Mexico profile | $21.80 | $45,350 | $37,440 | $61,410 | 460 | 0.53 | 4.28 |
| – | Massachusetts profile | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2161 Plasterers and Stucco Masons.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2161, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2161.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.