How to become a Paperhanger

Official title: Paperhangers

Also called: Bill Board Poster, Bill Poster, Billposter, Hanger, Installer, Paper Hanger, Vinyl Hanger, Wall Covering Installer, Wallpaper Hanger, Wallpaper Installer

Cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards. May remove old materials or prepare surfaces to be papered.

Main tasks

• Place strips or sections of paper on surfaces, aligning section edges and patterns.
• Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.

How to become one

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Paperhanger.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $52,140 a year The middle half earn $44,890 to $60,180.
• About 2,300 people work in this job now, and about 2,400 are projected by 2035. (+4.3%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Painters, Construction and Maintenance
• Carpenters
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
• Tapers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Paperhanger?

Ways in include: Paperhanger.

How much does a Paperhanger earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $52,140 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $44,890 to $60,180.

Is a Paperhanger a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 2,300 to about 2,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Paperhanger?

Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Paperhanger.

Will AI change the work of a Paperhanger?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.