How much do tapers make in Colorado in 2026?

The median annual pay for a taper in Colorado is $54,500, which works out to about $26.20 an hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. That's the number that best represents a working taper with a few years of experience behind them — not brand new, not at the top of the trade.

The 25th percentile sits at $51,130 a year, or roughly $24.58 an hour. If you're below this number, you're in the bottom quarter of earners in the state. That can mean you're early in your career, working for a smaller contractor with thin margins, or picking up work in a slower regional market.

The 75th percentile is $54,710 a year, or about $26.30 an hour. The gap between the median and the 75th percentile is unusually tight — just $210 a year separates them. That tells you the upper-middle tier of Colorado tapers is closely bunched together in earnings. Breaking past that threshold likely depends on individual factors: specialized finishing skills, a strong reputation with GCs, consistent full-time hours, or moving into a lead or foreman role.

The spread from the 25th to the 75th percentile is roughly $3,580 a year. That's a narrower range than you see in many other trades, which suggests taper wages in Colorado are relatively compressed. Workers across experience levels aren't seeing dramatic jumps in base pay. That makes the non-wage factors — steady hours, reliable employers, and benefits — more important when you're comparing one job to another.

No union scale data is available for tapers in Colorado for this reporting period. Union agreements in finishing trades like taping can vary significantly by local jurisdiction, and when that data becomes available it will be added here. If you're working under a union contract or a prevailing wage project, your actual rate may differ from these BLS figures.

Tapers in Colorado work across residential new construction, multifamily housing, commercial interiors, and remodel work. Residential finish work tends to pay by the piece or the square foot in many shops, and a fast, clean taper can out-earn an hourly rate on the right job. Commercial and multifamily work is more likely to pay straight hourly wages, sometimes with overtime during push schedules before inspections or tenant move-ins.

The Denver metro drives a significant portion of Colorado's construction volume, and tapers working regularly in that market generally have more consistent access to full-time hours than those in smaller markets like Pueblo or Grand Junction. Consistency of hours matters as much as the hourly rate when you're calculating what you actually take home each year.

Experience with level 5 finishes, spray texture, and skim coating adds real value. Contractors doing high-end residential or Class A commercial interiors need tapers who can deliver a flawless substrate for paint, and that skill set commands better pay and repeat calls. If you're limited to level 3 and 4 residential work, you're competing in a broader pool and have less leverage on rate.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025. These are employer-reported wages and reflect base pay; they do not include overtime, per diem, or employer-paid benefits.