Plasterer salary in Washington
Median $24.92 an hour for 440 plasterers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Plasterer pay in Washington: the full range
Washington ranks 19th of 28 states for median plasterer pay, and 26th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.29). 440 plasterers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $19.74 – $23.26 | $41,060 – $48,370 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.26 – $28.30 | $48,370 – $58,860 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $28.30 – $31.80 | $58,860 – $66,140 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Plasterer pay by metro in Washington
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $23.72 | $33.89 | $32.15 | $47.73 | 120 | 36% above |
| Seattle | $23.65 | $28.30 | $25.47 | $52.04 | 220 | 14% above |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Plasterer wages in Washington over time
Table
| Year | Washington $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $21.78 | $42.09 | $14.48 | 930 |
| 2000 | $22.30 | $41.69 | $16.00 | 760 |
| 2001 | $21.30 | $38.72 | $15.79 | 800 |
| 2002 | $21.47 | $38.42 | $15.91 | 930 |
| 2003 | $22.12 | $38.70 | $15.90 | 840 |
| 2004 | $24.05 | $40.99 | $15.60 | 800 |
| 2005 | $24.11 | $39.74 | $16.08 | 660 |
| 2006 | $25.10 | $40.08 | $16.68 | 600 |
| 2007 | $28.75 | $44.64 | $17.52 | 910 |
| 2008 | — | — | $18.01 | 1,210 |
| 2009 | $14.44 | $21.67 | $18.16 | 1,220 |
| 2011 | $19.12 | $27.37 | $17.71 | 380 |
| 2012 | $19.59 | $27.47 | $17.85 | 300 |
| 2013 | $20.66 | $28.55 | $17.64 | 330 |
| 2014 | $24.87 | $33.82 | $18.05 | 480 |
| 2015 | $24.39 | $33.13 | $17.94 | 500 |
| 2016 | $21.57 | $28.93 | $18.70 | 410 |
| 2017 | $25.80 | $33.89 | $19.59 | 300 |
| 2018 | $24.23 | $31.07 | $20.93 | 230 |
| 2019 | $26.61 | $33.51 | $21.85 | 360 |
| 2020 | $24.52 | $30.50 | $22.61 | 320 |
| 2021 | $23.10 | $27.45 | $23.24 | 260 |
| 2022 | $23.40 | $25.74 | $23.91 | 540 |
| 2023 | $25.37 | $26.81 | $25.31 | 440 |
| 2024 | $28.56 | $29.31 | $26.93 | 330 |
| 2025 | $24.92 | $24.92 | $27.72 | 440 |
In today's dollars, the median plasterer wage in Washington changed by -24.8% over the last ten years of data and by -25.6% since 2019.
Are there more plasterer jobs in Washington?
BLS counted 440 plasterers in Washington in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 48%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for plasterers in Washington
Washington's labor market agency projects the number of plasterers in the state to change by +1.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 370 to 370, with about 30 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 440 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for plasterers in Washington
On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay plasterers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 5 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $73.17 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $24.92.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | Union PLAS0528-010 2024-06-01 | $52.50 | $20.67 | $73.17 | WA20260108 |
| Kitsap | Union PLAS0528-010 2024-06-01 | $52.50 | $20.67 | $73.17 | WA20260109 |
| Pierce | Union PLAS0528-010 2024-06-01 | $52.50 | $20.67 | $73.17 | WA20260111 |
| Snohomish | Union PLAS0528-010 2024-06-01 | $52.50 | $20.67 | $73.17 | WA20260113 |
| Thurston | Union PLAS0528-010 2024-06-01 | $52.50 | $20.67 | $73.17 | WA20260116 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Washington prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Washington?
Keep comparing
Plasterer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Washington
More on Washington
Questions this page answers
How much do plasterers make in Washington?
The median plasterer in Washington earned $24.92 an hour ($51,840 a year) in May 2025, 10% below the national median of $27.72. The middle half earn $23.26–$28.30; the top 10% earn more than $31.80.
Where does Washington rank for plasterer pay?
Washington ranks 19th of 28 states for plasterer pay, with a median of $24.92 an hour, and 26th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).
What is the union plasterer rate in Washington?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plasterers in 5 counties, with a typical package of $73.17 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many plasterers work in Washington?
BLS counted 440 plasterers in Washington in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.99; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is plasterer work growing in Washington?
Washington's labor market agency projects +1.4% growth for plasterers between 2024 and 2034, from 370 to 370 jobs.
How many plasterer openings a year are there in Washington?
Washington projects about 30 openings a year for plasterers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 1,500 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington and metro areas, SOC 47-2161. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Washington labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.