Tapers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Construction and Extraction · SOC 47-2082 · O*NET 47-2082.00
Tapers fall under the Construction and Extraction category in the U.S. occupational classification. Tapers earn a median salary of $68,270 per year, ranking in the top 40% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -1.6% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do tapers earn?
The median annual wage for tapers is $68,270. That puts tapers at #327 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is tapers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for tapers is -1.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 15K positions in 2024 to 15K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become taper?
Tapers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about tapers
What is the median salary for tapers?
The median annual salary for tapers is $68,270 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is tapers a growing career?
BLS projects -1.6% growth for tapers from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become taper?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to tapers?
Related occupations within the Construction and Extraction category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.