How much do tapers make in the US in 2026?
$68,270
National median (BLS OEWS May 2025)
In 2026, tapers earn the most in Illinois (~$113,180) and the least in Indiana (~$42,810), with a national median of $68,270 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which state is best for tapers?
Different states win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Illinois
$113,180
Most jobs
California
4,540 jobs
Across 16 states: $42,810–$113,180 (median $64,345).
Tapers working in the United States earned a national median of $68,270 a year, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle half of the trade fell between $52,730 at the 25th percentile and $88,540 at the 75th percentile — a spread of nearly $36,000 that reflects real differences in state labor markets, workload, and local demand. TradesPays covers tapers across 16 states, giving you a grounded look at where pay lands and what's pulling it up or down. Illinois leads the pack at $113,180, with Pennsylvania at $82,240 and Washington at $79,040 also sitting well above the national median. On the other end, Indiana comes in at $42,810. None of those numbers are projections or estimates — they come straight from BLS, and that's the only source we cite here. If your state isn't in our current set of 16, check back as we expand coverage.
Taper pay by state
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $113,180 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $82,240 |
| 3 | Washington | $79,040 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $78,090 |
| 5 | New York | $77,790 |
| 6 | Ohio | $73,840 |
| 7 | California | $73,460 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $65,060 |
| 9 | Michigan | $63,630 |
| 10 | Missouri | $63,020 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $57,840 |
| 12 | Arizona | $56,300 |
| 13 | Colorado | $54,500 |
| 14 | Florida | $49,400 |
| 15 | Texas | $43,670 |
See all 16
| 16 | Indiana | $42,810 |
Where is the union premium biggest for Tapers?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for Taper across our states yet — these states are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Taper.
Union landscape
TradesPays has no union scale data for tapers in any of the 16 states we currently cover. That's a gap worth being straight about — we won't fill it with guesses or national averages passed off as local rates. What we can say is that some tapers are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and if you're in a union shop, your actual scale is set by that agreement. The only reliable source for those rates is your local. Call them, ask for the current wage schedule, and get the breakdown for your classification. Collective bargaining agreements vary by region and contract cycle, so anything we'd publish could be out of date the moment negotiations close. Until we have verified, current scale data for specific states and locals, we'll leave this section honest rather than approximate. If you're a union taper and want to help us fill this gap, the submission link at the bottom of the page goes directly to our data team.
What we don't track yet
A state median is a starting point, not a complete picture. There are two meaningful gaps in our taper data right now, and you should know about them before you use these numbers to make a decision. First, we don't have metro-level pay breakdowns. The difference between what a taper earns in Chicago versus a downstate Illinois market is real, and the statewide figure — even at $113,180 for Illinois — doesn't capture it. We're working on adding metro and regional figures as the data supports it. Second, we don't currently track pay by tier — apprentice, journeyman, or master classifications — outside of union scale, which we also don't have for this trade yet. Progression through experience levels matters a lot in what you actually take home, and a single median doesn't show that curve. If you're a taper willing to share your pay details — classification, years in, state, union or non-union — use the submission form on this page. Real worker data is how we close these gaps, and every verified submission makes the numbers more useful for the next person who looks them up.
Taper pay: FAQ
- What is the national median wage for tapers?
- The national median for tapers is $68,270 per year, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. That's the midpoint — half of tapers covered by the survey earned more, half earned less.
- What's the pay range for the middle half of the trade?
- The 25th percentile sits at $52,730 and the 75th percentile at $88,540. If you're somewhere in that band, you're in the middle half of reported taper wages nationally.
- Which state pays tapers the most in TradesPays' data?
- Illinois leads at $113,180 — well above the national median and significantly higher than the next states in our set, Pennsylvania at $82,240 and Washington at $79,040.
- Which state has the lowest taper pay in your data set?
- Indiana comes in at $42,810, the lowest in our current 16-state coverage. That's roughly $25,000 below the national median, which shows how much state market conditions can move the number.
- How many states does TradesPays cover for tapers?
- We currently cover tapers in 16 states. If your state isn't in the list, we don't have verified data for it yet. We're expanding coverage and will add states as reliable data becomes available.
- Does TradesPays have metro-level taper pay data?
- Not yet. Right now our taper data is at the state level only. Metro and regional breakdowns are on the roadmap, but we won't publish them until we can stand behind the numbers.
- Where do these taper wage figures come from?
- All figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. We don't blend in estimates or third-party projections.
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