Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
What it pays
Plasterers and Stucco Masons earn a median of $27.72/hr — about $57,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $19.02/hr; the top 10% earn $46.50/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Plasterers and Stucco Masons earn a median of $27.72/hr — about $57,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $19.02/hr; the top 10% earn $46.50/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
- Clean job sites.
- Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
- Apply coats of plaster or stucco to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using trowels, brushes, or spray guns.
- Set up scaffolds.
- Determine materials needed to complete the job and place orders accordingly.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 13.4% of plasterers and stucco masons are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a plasterers and stucco mason make?
- The median pay is $27.72 per hour — roughly $57,500 a year, with the real range running from about $19.02/hr (10th percentile) to $46.50/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a plasterers and stucco mason?
- The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
- What does a plasterers and stucco mason actually do all day?
- Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing. Clean job sites. Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency or direct workers who perform mixing.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.