How much do plasterers make in Colorado in 2026?

The median plasterer in Colorado earns $47,570 a year, which works out to roughly $22.87 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the number to anchor your expectations to — half of plasterers in the state earn more than that, half earn less.

The spread matters as much as the median. At the 25th percentile, plasterers earn $41,960 a year (~$20.17/hr). That's typically where newer workers land — people still building speed and finishing quality, or those working for smaller contractors in slower markets. At the 75th percentile, pay jumps to $73,490 a year (~$35.33/hr). The $25,920 gap between the 25th and 75th percentile tells you this trade rewards experience and skill in a real, measurable way. If you're a plasterer with ten or more years under your belt and clean, consistent finish work, the upper end of that range is achievable.

Colorado's construction activity is concentrated along the Front Range — Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and their surrounding suburbs. Plasterers working in the metro Denver corridor generally see stronger demand and higher pay than those working in rural areas or smaller mountain towns. High-end residential renovation work in areas like Cherry Creek, Wash Park, or the mountain resort communities around Aspen and Vail commands premium wages, since clients there expect flawless ornamental and venetian plaster finishes. That kind of specialized finish work is one of the clearest paths to the 75th percentile and above.

The type of work also shapes pay. Commercial plasterers applying three-coat systems on large job sites tend to work more consistent hours and may have steadier year-round employment than residential plasterers, whose workflow can swing with the new-home and remodel market. Plasterers who can handle both EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) and traditional interior lime or gypsum plaster are more versatile and more valuable to contractors — that versatility shows up in take-home pay.

Apprentices and helpers coming into the trade in Colorado should expect to start below the 25th percentile until they clear their first two to three years of hands-on experience. The path from entry-level to median typically takes four to six years, depending on the volume and variety of work you're exposed to.

No union scale data is currently available for plasterers in Colorado, meaning these figures represent a blend of union and non-union workers as captured in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025.

Cost of living in Colorado — particularly along the Front Range — is high relative to the national average. A plasterer earning the state median of $47,570 in Denver will feel that more acutely than the same earner in a lower-cost state. Workers considering Colorado should weigh that against housing and transportation costs when comparing offers.

Overtime is common in the plastering trade, especially during peak construction seasons in spring and summer. A plasterer at the median hourly rate of $22.87 earns $34.31 per overtime hour. Even moderate overtime — four hours a week over a full year — adds roughly $7,140 in gross pay, pushing a median-wage plasterer's annual earnings closer to $54,700. For plasterers at the 75th percentile, the same overtime math puts annual earnings above $80,000.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. TradesPays reports these numbers without adjustment.