What is a finish painter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
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There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a finish painter. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.96 an hour? That's $39,442 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 4,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreFinish PainterUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,442

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.4

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 2.05%

Black or African American 8.61%

Hispanic or Latino 26.12%

Unknown 4.59%

White 57.76%

Gender

female 12.52%

male 87.48%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.5

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Finish Painter career paths

Key steps to become a finish painter

  1. Explore finish painter education requirements

    Most common finish painter degrees

    High School Diploma

    46.7 %

    Associate

    18.8 %

    Bachelor's

    16.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific finish painter skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Coats13.97%
    Hand Tools12.73%
    Mask6.81%
    Ladders6.48%
    Surface Preparation6.37%
  3. Complete relevant finish painter training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New finish painters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a finish painter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real finish painter resumes.
  4. Research finish painter duties and responsibilities

    • Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
    • Perform duties including sheetrock preparation, sanding, caulking, painting and varnishing in remodels and new construction.
    • Erect scaffolding or ladders to perform tasks above grind level.
    • Sandblast all surfaces between coats of paint or primer to remove flaws and enhance adhesion for subsequent coats.
  5. Prepare your finish painter resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your finish painter resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a finish painter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Finish Painter Resume templates

    Build a professional Finish Painter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Finish Painter resume.
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
    Finish Painter Resume
  6. Apply for finish painter jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a finish painter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Finish Painter Job

Zippi

Are you a Finish Painter?

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Average finish painter salary

The average Finish Painter salary in the United States is $39,442 per year or $19 per hour. Finish painter salaries range between $28,000 and $53,000 per year.

Average Finish Painter Salary
$39,442 Yearly
$18.96 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do finish painters rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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Finish Painter reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

When you start a job that looks terrible and when you get done the customers look of satisfaction

Cons

Clean up lol


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022
Pros

The finished product! My work reflects my attention to detail and quality craftsmanship!

Cons

Not being able to work ! Whether it be weather related or delays of any kind!


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

I love painting. Painting has been my dream from young age. I grew up watching pimp my ride but painting was the first thing i fell in love with


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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