Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Long-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Plasterers and stucco masons work in a hands-on construction trade that combines physical work with precision and attention to detail. Nationally, this occupation employs about 24,000 people, with a projected employment growth rate of 4.1% and approximately 2,000 openings per year. This suggests a steady flow of opportunities for both new entrants and experienced workers. The national median annual salary is $56,020, with some locations offering notably higher pay. The role draws on a blend of physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, mechanical ability, and creativity and innovation. It can also involve leadership and project management, especially for those who advance to oversee projects or small teams. With no formal educational credential typically required, this path can be accessible for individuals who are ready to develop strong trade skills and apply detail-oriented work habits on construction-related projects.
The national median annual salary for plasterers and stucco masons is $56,020, but earnings vary significantly by state and metro area. Among the top states, Virginia shows a median salary of $64,120, and Maryland is close to the national median at $56,890. California offers $59,940, while Colorado and Washington list median salaries of $47,570 and $51,840, respectively. At the metro level, pay can be considerably higher. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro reports a median salary of $120,180, while San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara and San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont report $72,700 and $71,310. Other leading metros include Washington–Arlington–Alexandria at $64,310 and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim at $57,930. These differences highlight the importance of geographic choice in shaping earning potential within this trade.
Plasterers and stucco masons have a national employment base of about 24,000 workers, with projected employment growth of 4.1%. This growth rate applies nationally and is also reflected in the listed top states and metro areas, each showing a 4.1% growth figure. In addition, the occupation is expected to have around 2,000 annual openings. Those openings can reflect a mix of new positions and turnover as workers change jobs or leave the labor force. Together, the current employment level, projected growth, and ongoing openings indicate a consistent level of demand across the forecast period. Individuals considering this path can use these figures to gauge the relative stability of opportunities. The presence of multiple strong states and metro areas, each with the same projected growth rate, suggests that potential employment prospects are not limited to a single region.
Location plays a major role in both opportunity and pay for plasterers and stucco masons. Among states, California stands out with 6,780 employed workers, a median salary of $59,940, and the highest opportunity score at 67.38. Colorado, Washington, Virginia, and Maryland also show notable opportunity scores, ranging from about 52.88 to 56.97, with median salaries between $47,570 and $64,120 and smaller employment bases from 100 to 480. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara lead on opportunity score, at 77.27 and 77.42, with median salaries of $120,180 and $72,700. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim also rank highly, with opportunity scores from 62.99 to 68.75. These figures show substantial differences in both pay and concentration of jobs, giving workers multiple options when deciding where to build their careers.
For plasterers and stucco masons, the typical education requirement is no formal educational credential, which can make this career accessible to individuals who prefer to enter the workforce directly. Success in the field, however, depends heavily on developing specific skills. Physical strength and stamina are important, along with fine motor skills and mechanical ability. The work also benefits from being detail oriented and using creativity and innovation. As careers progress, leadership, project management, and interpersonal skills can become more important, particularly for those who coordinate with others or manage aspects of a project. The inclusion of science and mathematics among the top skills indicates that quantitative thinking and basic scientific understanding can also play a role. Together, these skills form a profile that blends physical capability, precision, and the potential to take on more responsibility over time without a formal education requirement.
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