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Quick answer · Balanced priorities

Construction Laborers vs Paperhangers: what changes?

Consider Construction Laborers if you want to perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. Consider Paperhangers if you would rather cover interior walls or ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces such as walls and billboards. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Construction Laborers and Paperhangers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Construction Laborers

National median pay (2025)
$47,120
Route into the job
No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
120,000
Know before you choose

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

See the full Construction Laborers brief

Paperhangers

National median pay (2025)
$52,140
Route into the job
No formal educational credential; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Smooth strips or sections of paper with brushes or rollers to remove wrinkles and bubbles and to smooth joints.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
200
Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (2,300 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Paperhangers brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Construction Laborers has the edge on annual openings

Construction Laborers is at 120,000 annual openings, compared with 200 annual openings for Paperhangers.

2

Construction Laborers has the edge on projected growth

Construction Laborers is at 7.3% projected growth, compared with 4.3% projected growth for Paperhangers.

3

Paperhangers has the edge on median pay

Paperhangers is at $52,140, compared with $47,120 for Construction Laborers.

69/ 100

Construction Laborers

vs
40.3/ 100

Paperhangers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Construction Laborers vs Paperhangers

DimensionConstruction LaborersPaperhangers
Median pay (2025)$47,120$52,140
Pay percentile23.6 percentile37.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)7.3%4.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)120,000200
2025 employment1,489,3002,300
How you qualifyNo formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensingNo formal educational credential; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 2Job Zone 2
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingOne month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Construction Laborers briefRead Paperhangers brief

Try another comparison

Construction Laborers vs Rock Splitters, Quarry

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Construction Laborers
$47,120 · 7.3% growth
Rock Splitters, Quarry
$48,740 · 5.8% growth
Compare careers →

Paperhangers vs Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Paperhangers
$52,140 · 4.3% growth
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
$58,930 · 2.5% growth
Compare careers →

Paperhangers vs Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Paperhangers
$52,140 · 4.3% growth
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
$57,020 · 1.6% growth
Compare careers →
ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.