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Painter salary
Average painter salary
$42,339
How much does a painter make?
The average painter salary in the United States is $42,339. Painter salaries typically range between $30,000 and $59,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for painters is $20.36 per hour.
Painter salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Painters earn the highest average salary in New Jersey.
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Where can a Painter earn more?
Painter Salaries By Experience Level
Painter salary estimates from across the web
Average painter salary by state
Highest paying states for painters
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,758 | $27.29 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $44,115 | $21.21 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $46,070 | $22.15 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $47,150 | $22.67 |
| 5 | Vermont | $47,352 | $22.77 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $50,311 | $24.19 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $55,761 | $26.81 |
| 8 | New York | $51,997 | $25.00 |
| 9 | Maine | $43,804 | $21.06 |
| 10 | Missouri | $45,336 | $21.80 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $57,328 | $27.56 |
| 12 | Ohio | $41,665 | $20.03 |
| 13 | California | $54,515 | $26.21 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $43,289 | $20.81 |
| 15 | Illinois | $48,696 | $23.41 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,733 | $23.43 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $40,770 | $19.60 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $43,435 | $20.88 |
| 19 | Washington | $44,456 | $21.37 |
| 20 | Virginia | $44,242 | $21.27 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $42,521 | $20.44 |
| 22 | Delaware | $45,718 | $21.98 |
| 23 | Alabama | $41,228 | $19.82 |
| 24 | Michigan | $41,473 | $19.94 |
| 25 | Indiana | $39,198 | $18.85 |
| 26 | Arizona | $41,019 | $19.72 |
| 27 | Georgia | $40,879 | $19.65 |
| 28 | Iowa | $37,878 | $18.21 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $38,561 | $18.54 |
| 30 | Nevada | $41,706 | $20.05 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,557 | $18.54 |
| 32 | Oregon | $40,219 | $19.34 |
| 33 | Utah | $38,949 | $18.73 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $37,670 | $18.11 |
| 35 | Maryland | $44,323 | $21.31 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $36,344 | $17.47 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $39,464 | $18.97 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $34,924 | $16.79 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $39,426 | $18.95 |
| 40 | Alaska | $30,989 | $14.90 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $36,704 | $17.65 |
| 42 | Florida | $37,498 | $18.03 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $35,279 | $16.96 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $35,231 | $16.94 |
| 45 | Colorado | $39,939 | $19.20 |
| 46 | Texas | $36,885 | $17.73 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,656 | $17.14 |
| 48 | Montana | $37,567 | $18.06 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $37,471 | $18.01 |
| 50 | Kansas | $36,368 | $17.48 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,873 | $15.80 |
Highest paying cities for painters
The highest-paying cities for painters are Sacramento, CA, Boston, MA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $58,537 | $28.14 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $55,612 | $26.74 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $52,312 | $25.15 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $48,947 | $23.53 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $47,230 | $22.71 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $46,612 | $22.41 |
| 7 | Saint Louis, MO | $45,945 | $22.09 |
| 8 | Tacoma, WA | $44,806 | $21.54 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $44,502 | $21.40 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $44,434 | $21.36 |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $44,424 | $21.36 |
| 12 | Virginia Beach, VA | $44,307 | $21.30 |
| 13 | Madison, AL | $41,244 | $19.83 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,083 | $19.75 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $40,946 | $19.69 |
| 16 | Grand Rapids, MI | $40,520 | $19.48 |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,423 | $19.43 |
| 18 | Aurora, CO | $40,003 | $19.23 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $39,595 | $19.04 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,175 | $18.83 |
Painters are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Painter salary details
A painter's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a painter's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $42,339 | $3,528 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying painter jobs
The highest paying types of painters are painter foreman, interior decorator, painting, and mason.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | $43,974 | $3,664 | $21.14 | 15,057 |
| Industrial Painter | $40,076 | $3,340 | $19.27 | 12,353 |
| Journeyman Painter | $40,885 | $3,407 | $19.66 | 8,020 |
| Painter Apprentice | $37,030 | $3,086 | $17.80 | 9,612 |
| Blaster/Painter | $41,168 | $3,431 | $19.79 | 4,146 |
| Painter Helper | $32,449 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 17,183 |
Top companies hiring painters now:
Which companies pay painters the most?
Painter salaries at Dell and Memorial Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average painter salary at companies like Nabholz and Forum Energy Technologies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dell | $84,043 | $40.41 |
| 2 | Memorial Health | $77,956 | $37.48 |
| 3 | Nabholz | $75,793 | $36.44 |
| 4 | Forum Energy Technologies | $70,987 | $34.13 |
| 5 | Softpath System | $67,345 | $32.38 |
| 6 | Siemens | $66,696 | $32.07 |
| 7 | Aqua | $63,101 | $30.34 |
| 8 | Cudd Energy Services | $60,972 | $29.31 |
| 9 | VSR Industries | $60,926 | $29.29 |
| 10 | Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare | $60,798 | $29.23 |
| 11 | Irving Isd | $60,303 | $28.99 |
| 12 | Fortune Brands Home & Security | $59,770 | $28.74 |
| 13 | HTH Companies | $59,671 | $28.69 |
| 14 | Rockford Construction | $59,020 | $28.38 |
| 15 | Middlesex Water | $58,828 | $28.28 |
| 16 | NHC | $58,048 | $27.91 |
| 17 | Peterson Holding | $57,909 | $27.84 |
| 18 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | $57,072 | $27.44 |
| 19 | Alfa Laval | $56,678 | $27.25 |
| 20 | NCH Healthcare System | $56,559 | $27.19 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Painter salary by industry
The average painter salary varies across industries:
- The average painter salary in the energy industry is $45,790, the highest of any industry.
- The average painter salary in the finance industry is $45,118.
- Painters in the education industry earn an average salary of $39,748, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for painters
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $45,790 | $22.01 |
| 2 | Construction | $45,118 | $21.69 |
| 3 | Automotive | $44,872 | $21.57 |
| 4 | Technology | $44,218 | $21.26 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $43,835 | $21.07 |
| 6 | Professional | $41,567 | $19.98 |
| 7 | Education | $39,748 | $19.11 |
High Paying Painter Jobs
Painter salary trends
The average painter salary has risen by $6,733 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average painter earned $35,606 annually, but today, they earn $42,339 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for painters over the last decade.
Compare painter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average painter salary over time
Compare painter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Painter salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,300 | $20.36 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $40,500 | $19.46 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $39,100 | $18.81 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $38,100 | $18.34 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | $37,800 | $18.15 | +2.6% |
Recently added painter salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | Painter A09* | Beaufort, SC | 12/18/2024 | $49,211 |
| Tradesmen International, LLC | Painter | Fayetteville, GA | 12/17/2024 | $52,175 |
| Independence Painting Co | Commercial and Residential Painter | Chicago, IL | 12/17/2024 | $41,740 |
| ASM Global Group | Painter | Salt Lake City, UT | 12/16/2024 | $31,305 |
| Knott's Berry Farm | Painter 1 | Buena Park, CA | 12/16/2024 | $45,935 |
| Dunwoody Village | Painter, 8Am-4Pm | Kane, PA | 12/16/2024 | $44,871 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Painter | Tacoma, WA | 12/16/2024 | $70,332 |
| Precision Inc. | Painter-2Nd Shift | Lenox, IA | 12/16/2024 | $34,394 |
| Stewart Painting, Inc. | Experienced Painter | Hingham, MA | 12/16/2024 | $41,740 |
| Sodexo S A | Painter | Iowa City, IA | 12/16/2024 | $41,740 |
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