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Painters, Construction and Maintenance vs Plasterers and Stucco Masons: what changes?

Consider Painters, Construction and Maintenance if you want to paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. Consider Plasterers and Stucco Masons if you would rather apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Painters, Construction and Maintenance and Plasterers and Stucco Masons. 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.

Painters, Construction and Maintenance

National median pay (2025)
$49,400
Route into the job
No formal educational credential; More than one month and up to 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 one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
24,900
Know before you choose

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

See the full Painters, Construction and Maintenance brief

Plasterers and Stucco Masons

National median pay (2025)
$57,660
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
Cover surfaces such as windows, doors, or sidewalks to protect from splashing.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,500
Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (22,900 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Plasterers and Stucco Masons brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Painters, Construction and Maintenance has the edge on annual openings

Painters, Construction and Maintenance is at 24,900 annual openings, compared with 1,500 annual openings for Plasterers and Stucco Masons.

2

Plasterers and Stucco Masons has the edge on median pay

Plasterers and Stucco Masons is at $57,660, compared with $49,400 for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.

3

Painters, Construction and Maintenance has the edge on projected growth

Painters, Construction and Maintenance is at 3% projected growth, compared with 2.8% projected growth for Plasterers and Stucco Masons.

58.5/ 100

Painters, Construction and Maintenance

vs
45.6/ 100

Plasterers and Stucco Masons

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

Painters, Construction and Maintenance vs Plasterers and Stucco Masons

DimensionPainters, Construction and MaintenancePlasterers and Stucco Masons
Median pay (2025)$49,400$57,660
Pay percentile30.7 percentile43.1 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)3%2.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)24,9001,500
2025 employment326,90022,900
How you qualifyNo formal educational credential; More than one month and up to 12 months 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 trainingMore than one month and up to 12 months 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 Painters, Construction and Maintenance briefRead Plasterers and Stucco Masons brief

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Painters, Construction and Maintenance vs Helpers--Roofers

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Painters, Construction and Maintenance
$49,400 · 3% growth
Helpers--Roofers
$44,160 · -0.1% growth
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$49,400 · 3% growth
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Plasterers and Stucco Masons vs Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

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$57,660 · 2.8% growth
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Plasterers and Stucco Masons vs Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

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