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Skilled Trades

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$52,140

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$36k – $69k

Job outlook

+5% (faster than average)

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Paperhangers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Paperhangers

    Entry / Junior

    $36,020

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Paperhangers

    Established

    $52,140

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Paperhangers

    Senior

    $60,595

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.
  • •Trim rough edges from strips, using straightedges and trimming knives.
  • •Trim excess material at ceilings or baseboards, using knives.
  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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