Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
SOC Code: 47-3014
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons carries a 26% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $38,140 and +2.3% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 7,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 26% AI exposure, Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons sits 11 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 18% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
45/100
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $38,140
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth D +2.3%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A- 26% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons keeps an No credential bar (109 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
26% Among the lowest lower than 82% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-3014) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons. Public companies with meaningful exposure to this occupation, such as EMCOR Group, Inc. and Sterling Infrastructure, Inc., inherit a share of the same automation risk through their industry classification. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Clean work areas and equipment.
- 2. Perform support duties to assist painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or masons.
- 3. Apply protective coverings, such as masking tape, to articles or areas that could be damaged or stained by work processes.
- 4. Smooth surfaces of articles to be painted, using sanding and buffing tools and equipment.
- 5. Mix plaster, and carry plaster to plasterers.
- 6. Erect scaffolding.
- 7. Fill cracks or breaks in surfaces of plaster articles or areas with putty or epoxy compounds.
- 8. Supply or hold tools and materials.
- 9. Place articles to be stripped into stripping tanks.
- 10. Remove articles such as cabinets, metal furniture, and paint containers from stripping tanks after prescribed periods of time.
Key Skills Required
- Speaking
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Social Perceptiveness
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Service Orientation
Knowledge Areas
- Building and Construction
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Education and Training
- Transportation
- Mechanical
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons has an AI exposure score of 26%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons is projected to grow by 2.3% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 7,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
Key skills for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons include Speaking, Coordination, Active Listening, and others. Typical entry-level education is No formal educational credential.
How much do Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons earn?
The median annual wage for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons is $38,140, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
The typical entry-level education for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons is No formal educational credential. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons?
Public companies with significant Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons workforce shares include EMCOR Group, Inc., Sterling Infrastructure, Inc., Quanta Services, Inc., among others. These employers are mapped by industry classification (SIC/NAICS) to BLS occupation-industry employment distributions. See the full employer rankings for AI displacement risk grades.
Employers with High AI Exposure in This Occupation Group
Public companies whose industry occupation mix includes a significant share of Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons roles.
| Company | AI Grade | Risk Score |
|---|---|---|
| EMCOR Group, Inc. | A | 31.7% |
| Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. | A | 31.7% |
| Quanta Services, Inc. | A | 31.7% |
| Comfort Systems USA Inc | A | 31.7% |
| Ferrovial SE | A | 31.7% |
| Horton D R Inc /De/ | A | 31.7% |
| Mastec Inc | A | 31.7% |
| Lennar Corp /New/ | A | 31.7% |
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (26% here).
- Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians · AI exposure 26%
- Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary · AI exposure 26%
- Forest and conservation technicians · AI exposure 26%
- Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers · AI exposure 26%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+2.3% here).
- Agricultural workers, all other · growth +2.3%
- Concierges · growth +2.3%
- First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers · growth +2.3%
- Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers · growth +2.3%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).