Back to Cost Database
SOC 47-2082Finishing Trades

Tapers

Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or wallpapering.

Tapers earn a median $31.11/hr ($64,700/yr). Top-paying state: Illinois at $46.22/hr. True labor cost with burden: ~$42.00/hr.

$31.11
Median Hourly
$32.22
Mean Hourly
$64,700
Median Annual
19,800
Employment

Wage Distribution

10th
$20.88/hr
25th
$24.55/hr
Median
$31.11/hr
75th
$38.22/hr
90th
$51.04/hr

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Percentiles represent the wage below which a given percentage of workers fall.

Top-Paying States

#StateMedian Hourly
1Illinois$46.22
2Alaska$44.88
3New York$43.55
4Hawaii$41.22
5Washington$40.55

Top-Paying Metro Areas

#Metro AreaMedian Hourly
1Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI$51.55
2New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$48.88
3San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$46.22
4Honolulu, HI$43.55
5Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$42.88

True Labor Cost: ~$42.00/hr

The base wage of $31.11/hr becomes approximately $42.00/hr after applying a 1.35x burden rate (payroll taxes, insurance, benefits, overhead).

Calculate Your Rate

Related Tools & Templates

Frequently Asked Questions

© 2026 ConstructionBids.ai — A LaderaLabs Product