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Plasterers and Stucco Masons: Career Profile
Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
What Do Plasterers and Stucco Masons Do?
Typical responsibilities of plasterers and stucco masons span:
- Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
- Clean job sites.
- Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
- Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
- Set up scaffolds.
- Determine materials needed to complete the job and place orders accordingly.
- Apply weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces of buildings, such as by troweling or spraying on coats of stucco.
- Clean and prepare surfaces for applications of plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials, such as by drywall taping.
What Plasterers and Stucco Masons Need to Know
Top plasterers and stucco masons draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Plasterers and Stucco Masons Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Applicator
- Artisan
- Artisan Plasterer
- Decorative Plasterer
- Dry Plasterer
- Hard Surface Plasterer
- Mason
- Mason Plasterer
Employment and Demand
There are about 677,685 plasterers and stucco masons working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +1.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Plasterers and Stucco Masons
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $56,358 |
| Hourly median | $27.10 |
| 10th percentile | $31,765 |
| 25th percentile | $44,062 |
| 75th percentile | $68,655 |
| 90th percentile | $80,952 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Plasterers and Stucco Masons Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $99,070 |
| New Jersey | $94,040 |
| Massachusetts | $85,810 |
| South Carolina | $84,160 |
| Illinois | $83,020 |
| Missouri | $74,560 |
| New York | $73,940 |
| Oregon | $69,290 |
| Minnesota | $68,220 |
| Ohio | $63,310 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,470 |
| Michigan | $61,610 |
| California | $60,370 |
| New Hampshire | $59,780 |
| Washington | $59,410 |
| Arizona | $55,260 |
| Montana | $54,970 |
| Maryland | $54,510 |
| Virginia | $53,970 |
| Utah | $53,170 |
| Kansas | $52,900 |
| Wisconsin | $52,660 |
| Colorado | $52,010 |
| Indiana | $51,310 |
| Nevada | $49,750 |
| Kentucky | $48,680 |
| Florida | $47,480 |
| New Mexico | $47,210 |
| Texas | $46,500 |
| Louisiana | $46,270 |
| South Dakota | $45,470 |
| Georgia | $41,130 |
Where Plasterers and Stucco Masons Earn the Most
Pay for plasterers and stucco masons differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $85,810 | 0.7% | 0.30 |
| Middle Atlantic | $71,451 | 5.2% | 0.56 |
| Plains States | $71,120 | 3.6% | 1.14 |
| Great Lakes | $66,204 | 4.9% | 0.34 |
| Far Western US | $59,460 | 50.3% | 3.57 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,792 | 9.6% | 3.85 |
| Southwest | $51,685 | 13.4% | 2.62 |
| Southeast | $48,902 | 12.3% | 1.46 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Plasterers and Stucco Masons
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $99,070 | 60 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $90,020 | 210 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $85,810 | 110 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $78,360 | 750 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $76,540 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $76,310 | 100 |
| Logan, UT-ID | UT | $72,790 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $71,330 | 700 |
Industry Breakdown
Most plasterers and stucco masons are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 19,590 | $54,820 |
| Educational Services | 90 | $64,180 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 80 | $69,600 |
Below are examples of industries where plasterers and stucco masons work:
Tools and Technology
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for plasterers and stucco masons reflects the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Typical plasterers and stucco masons positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Primary-Long)
- Carpenters (Supplemental)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Long)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Long)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Long)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (Primary-Short)
- Tapers (Supplemental)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2161.00 (Plasterers and Stucco Masons).
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