# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paperhangers
- SOC code: 47-2142.00
- Career family: Construction and extraction
- Median annual pay: $52,140 (10th percentile $36,020, 90th percentile $69,050)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.3%
- Openings a year: 200
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCA)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 81 |
| Investigative (I) | 0 |
| Artistic (A) | 33 |
| Social (S) | 10 |
| Enterprising (E) | 2 |
| Conventional (C) | 48 |

## What you'd do

- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 86/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 77/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 68/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 68/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 62/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 58/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 55/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 51/100)
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People (importance 49/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 49/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Coordination, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Operation and Control

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Building and Construction, Mathematics, Mechanical, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Design, Education and Training, Sales and Marketing

## Also called

Bill Board Poster, Bill Poster, Bill Poster Installer, Billboard Poster, Billposter, Hanger, Installer, Paper Hanger, Paperhanging Interior Decorator, Vinyl Hanger

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4604) (CIP 4604, 319 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Utah Valley University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/utah-valley-university-3103) | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | $82,443 | $97,793 | $11,042 |
| [The University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.collegesref.com/college/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio-2767) | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | $74,627 | $90,691 | $17,750 |
| [Tuskegee University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/tuskegee-university-2832) | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | $74,054 | $87,107 | not reported |
| [Pennsylvania College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pennsylvania-college-of-technology-2096) | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | $69,819 | $74,310 | $27,000 |

## Related careers

- [Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/floor-layers-except-carpet-wood-and-hard-tiles): $56,460 median pay
- [Carpet Installers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/carpet-installers): $50,340 median pay
- [Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/drywall-and-ceiling-tile-installers): $58,930 median pay
- [Painters, Construction and Maintenance](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/painters-construction-and-maintenance): $49,400 median pay
- [Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/painting-coating-and-decorating-workers): $41,600 median pay
- [Tile and Stone Setters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tile-and-stone-setters): $55,690 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.