Aircraft Painter Salary: Raleigh-Cary, NC
At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.
The median annual wage for Aircraft Painter in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $47,070 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $38,120 and $56,110.
Closest proxy Our title "Aircraft Painter" is reported by BLS as SOC 51-9124 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Closest proxy: Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. This published occupation covers only part of Aircraft Painter; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
The Raleigh-Cary, NC median is $1,180 below the national median of $48,250 (-2.4%).
Annual wages
Aircraft Painter, Raleigh-Cary, NC, annual wages: 10% earned less than $32,210, half earned less than the median of $47,070, 90% earned less than $79,030 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,210 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $38,120 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $47,070 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $56,110 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $79,030 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $51,910 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Aircraft Painter, Raleigh-Cary, NC, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $15.49, half earned less than the median of $22.63, 90% earned less than $38.00 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $15.49 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $18.33 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $22.63 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $26.98 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $38.00 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $24.96 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
National comparison
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,260 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $40,590 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $48,250 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $59,680 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $74,730 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $52,620 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-9124 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Nearby metro areas
Linked areas are neighboring BLS metro areas. Comparison links open the compare tool with BLS figures only.
All Aircraft Painter figures | All roles in Raleigh-Cary, NC
What belongs in the pay comparison for Aircraft Painter?
Separate ordinary wages from overtime, shift differentials and allowances. Check whether a service truck is a work tool or a personal-use benefit. Tool replacement, on-call terms, travel reimbursement and relocation support need their own discussion rather than being folded into a published wage.
Published wages are not a complete offer for this specific seat. The occupation is Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, SOC 51-9124. Closest proxy: Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. This published occupation covers only part of Aircraft Painter; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor (49-1011)What changed since May 2024
SOC 51-9124. Published annual median: $46,470 (May 2024) and $47,070 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.