In 1860, coopers made barrels for brewing, shipping, and storage. The job was tough, with long hours, no job protections, and unstable wages. A cooper in New York earned $1.52 per day, $9.12 per week, and $474.24 per year. Everyday items were costly, a jackknife was $0.27, trousers cloth $4.50 per pair, whiskey $0.27 per gallon, and nails $0.03 per pound. With gold at $20.67 per ounce, saving money was hard, and high tariffs made tools expensive.
Today, coopering is rare, mostly found in whiskey and wine industries. Machines do most of the work, but skilled coopers are still needed for handcrafted barrels. In 2025, the average cooper earns about $73,499 per year ($35.34 per hour). Though the trade has changed, the craft still survives in specialized industries.