How much do plasterers make in Arizona in 2026?

Arizona plasterers earn a median wage of $49,510 per year, which works out to about $23.80 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half the plasterers in Arizona earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working in a slower market, expect to land closer to the 25th percentile at $46,390 a year ($22.30/hr). Experienced hands with steady commercial work can push into the 75th percentile at $60,460 a year ($29.07/hr).

The spread between the bottom and top quartile is about $14,000 a year. That gap is real money, and it mostly comes down to three things: years in the trade, the type of work you're doing, and where in Arizona you're working.

Phoenix and the surrounding metro account for the largest share of plastering work in the state. Commercial and multifamily construction projects — hotels, schools, apartment complexes — tend to pay better and run longer than single-family residential jobs. If you're doing ornamental or restoration plasterwork, that specialty can push your rate above the 75th percentile, since fewer workers can do it well.

Tucson has a smaller but consistent market, largely driven by historic preservation work and new construction on the southern end of the state. Rates there tend to trail Phoenix by a few dollars an hour, though cost of living is also lower.

Arizona's desert climate keeps exterior stucco work in heavy demand year-round. Unlike colder states where plastering slows in winter, Arizona workers can generally count on more consistent hours across all 12 months. That steadiness matters when you're calculating actual annual take-home — a worker earning $22.30/hr who logs full hours will out-earn a $25/hr worker who sits out two months.

No union scale data is available for plasterers in Arizona at this time. Many plasterers in the state work through non-union contractors, so your negotiated rate and your employer's project mix will drive your pay more than a collectively bargained scale.

To move up the pay scale, the most direct path is diversifying your skills. Workers who can handle hard coat, veneer plaster, and exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) are harder to replace and can command more. Foreman and superintendent roles are the next step up, and they typically carry a bump of several dollars per hour over journeyman rates.

All figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.