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, Bill Poster Installer, Billboard Poster, Billposter, Hanger
Median pay
$52,140
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$36,020 – $69,050
People employed
1,570
Holland code
RCA
Realistic · Conventional · Artistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 2.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
- 3.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 4.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 5.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 6.Are you OK with hours that change?
The hard parts
- Long hours on your feet
- Tight deadlines are common
Paperhangers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (13 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What paperhangers do
- 01Staple or tack advertising posters onto fences, walls, billboards, or poles.
- 02Measure surfaces or review work orders to estimate the quantities of materials needed.
- 03Check finished wallcoverings for proper alignment, pattern matching, and neatness of seams.
- 04Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.
- 05Smooth rough spots on walls and ceilings, using sandpaper.
- 06Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, using hand tools.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from paperhangers
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators78% · −10%
- Furniture Finishers77% · −15%
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters74% · −9%
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic74% · +22%
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers73% · −20%
Change into paperhangers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing74% · $46,170
- Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons73% · $40,470
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers73% · $37,800
- Log Graders and Scalers69% · $46,330
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers69% · $41,600
Majors that lead here
- Painting/Painter and Wall Coverer
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.