Paperhangers
Cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards. May remove old materials or prepare surfaces to be papered.
Also called: Bill Board Poster · Bill Poster · Hanger · Paper Hanger · Paperhanger · Vinyl Hanger
Median pay (national)
$48,260
$35,020–$69,470 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
1,520
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.3%
~200 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for paperhangers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $69,470 versus $35,020 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $48,260 leaves roughly 44% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.3% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 11 states with released data, New Jersey pays the most for this role (median $58,240, +21% vs the national median), while North Carolina sits lowest at $35,740 — a 63% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.
- Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams.
- Mark vertical guidelines on walls to align strips, using plumb bobs and chalk lines.
- Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools.
- Measure and cut strips from rolls of wallpaper or fabric, using shears or razors.
- Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.
- Fill holes, cracks, and other surface imperfections preparatory to covering surfaces.
- Measure surfaces or review work orders to estimate the quantities of materials needed.
- Smooth rough spots on walls and ceilings, using sandpaper.
- Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives.
Tools & technology
- A-Systems JobView
- Construction Software Center EasyEst
- Corel Painter
- Electronic data interchange EDI software
- On Center Quick Bid
- PlanSwift
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Design