How much does a floor sander make?
Answer: A typical floor sander in the United States makes $50,440 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 4,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Floor sander pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $37,070 | $50,440 | $70,340 | about 4,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experienced floor sanders with strong skills may earn more. Pay also varies by location, employer or industry, and hours worked.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a floor sander do?
Scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machine, and apply coats of finish.
What's a typical day like?
They guide a sanding machine over a wooden floor, then scrape and sand the edges the machine cannot reach. They check for smoothness, vacuum the dust, and apply filler or a protective finish.
How to get this job
In the U.S., no diploma is usually needed: start as a helper and learn on the job, or join a flooring apprenticeship. There is no set career-starting age; federal law's general minimum work age is 14, but young teens face strict job and hour limits.
High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.
Did you know?
Sanding dust can heat up and smolder inside a dust bag, sometimes without a flame. Dust from refinishing old floors is especially risky.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Construction and Extraction jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/tile-and-marble-setters.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/47-2043.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes472043.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.dol.gov/general/topic/youthlabor/agerequirements
- www.oldewoodltd.com/uploads/nwfa-sand-finish-wood-floors-2016.pdf
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY