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Tapers in Florida

Thinking about a career as a Tapers in Florida? Here’s what the data says. Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.

What do Tapers Make in Florida?

For a tapers working in Florida, the typical annual salary is $40,060 per year (or about $19.26/hour).Pay can range from $37,480 at the 10th percentile to $50,560 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$37,480	$18.02
25th percentile	$38,700	$18.60
Median (50th)	$40,060	$19.26
75th percentile	$48,850	$23.48
90th percentile	$50,560	$24.31

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, tapers earn a median of $30,388 per year ($14.61/hour), higher than the Florida median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 696,796 tapers nationwide.

Top States for Tapers Employment

These states have the highest employment of tapers work.

State	Number Employed
California	3,790
Washington	1,510
Arizona	1,020
Nevada	990
Texas	450
Utah	400
Oregon	390
Illinois	380
Missouri	310
Massachusetts	290
Michigan	270
Minnesota	210
Hawaii	180
Connecticut	150
Pennsylvania	90
Colorado	80
Indiana	70
Ohio	70
Wisconsin	70
New Mexico	70

Highest-Paying States for Tapers

These states pay the most for tapers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Illinois	$109,510
Massachusetts	$107,670
Hawaii	$97,790
New Jersey	$96,350
Oregon	$90,180
Minnesota	$86,990
Pennsylvania	$81,880
Connecticut	$71,910
Washington	$70,580
New York	$70,150

Skills

Key tapers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for tapers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas.
• Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.
• Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.
• Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.
• Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.
• Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard.
• Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.
• Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts.
• Select the correct sealing compound or tape.
• Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.
• Remove extra compound after surfaces have been covered sufficiently.
• Install metal molding at wall corners to secure wallboard.

Work Activities

• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Getting Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Training and Teaching Others
• Controlling Machines and Processes

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Intuit QuickBooks

Related Careers

Careers similar to tapers include:

• Brickmasons and Blockmasons
• Carpenters
• Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
• Floor Sanders and Finishers
• Tile and Stone Setters
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Also Known As

Drywall Finisher, Drywall Mechanic, Drywall Taper, Finisher, Sheet Rock Taper, Spackler, Taper, Wall Taper.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2082.00