Painter Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Painter in the United States was $49,400 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $44,640 and $61,660.
Broader occupation Our title "Painter" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2141 Painters, Construction and Maintenance. BLS groups Painter within Painters, Construction and Maintenance; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Painter, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $37,440, half earned less than the median of $49,400, 90% earned less than $78,810 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,440 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $44,640 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $49,400 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $61,660 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $78,810 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $55,420 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Painter, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $18.00, half earned less than the median of $23.75, 90% earned less than $37.89 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.00 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $21.46 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $23.75 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $29.65 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $37.89 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $26.64 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 225,190 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2141 Painters, Construction and Maintenance, National.
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.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,490 | $40,300 to $56,700 | 6,210 | 1.52 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $47,570 | $42,110 to $49,920 | 3,080 | 1.47 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,210 | $36,480 to $48,240 | 2,840 | 1.39 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $45,360 | $37,780 to $49,680 | 810 | 0.76 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,420 | $50,880 to $83,060 | 11,930 | 0.87 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,420 | $50,880 to $83,060 | 11,930 | 0.87 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $45,550 | $39,180 to $50,020 | 4,570 | 0.78 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $46,140 | $39,610 to $49,730 | 4,970 | 1.04 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,740 | $48,970 to $95,850 | 5,480 | 0.84 |
How does Painter pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-2141, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $122,470 | Annual | 50 |
| Construction | 23 | $49,060 | Annual | 185,730 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $51,130 | Annual | 23,080 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $52,000 | Annual | 16,410 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $49,980 | Annual | 6,670 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $56,660 | Annual | 4,510 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $56,700 | Annual | 1,770 |
| Land Subdivision | 237200 | $52,760 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $58,670 | Annual | 2,350 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $46,500 | Annual | 350 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $48,750 | Annual | 158,140 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $44,960 | Annual | 2,460 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $47,740 | Annual | 1,440 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $48,810 | Annual | 148,030 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $48,530 | Annual | 6,220 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $47,220 | Annual | 110 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 311600 | $45,660 | Annual | 70 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $50,890 | Annual | 5,150 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $48,990 | Annual | 420 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $48,880 | Annual | 410 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $45,520 | Annual | 30 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $45,520 | Annual | 30 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $68,180 | Annual | 30 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $38,390 | Annual | 50 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $38,390 | Annual | 50 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $44,080 | Annual | 50 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $44,610 | Annual | 110 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 331300 | $44,190 | Annual | 70 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $44,910 | Annual | 1,040 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $40,030 | Annual | 260 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $43,260 | Annual | 520 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $47,410 | Annual | 220 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 332800 | $46,750 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $48,860 | Annual | 690 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $48,430 | Annual | 610 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $53,450 | Annual | 50 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $46,780 | Annual | 150 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $46,780 | Annual | 140 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $63,120 | Annual | 2,010 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $39,770 | Annual | 70 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $48,420 | Annual | 40 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $80,120 | Annual | 60 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $63,120 | Annual | 1,670 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336900 | $55,430 | Annual | 150 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $60,310 | Annual | 310 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $60,310 | Annual | 310 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $45,810 | Annual | 120 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $45,730 | Annual | 120 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $57,160 | Annual | 30 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $57,160 | Annual | 30 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $47,070 | Annual | 210 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $44,200 | Annual | 70 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $48,610 | Annual | 5,830 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $48,520 | Annual | 5,690 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $57,960 | Annual | 150 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $57,960 | Annual | 150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $59,210 | Annual | 670 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $59,210 | Annual | 670 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $60,080 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $63,640 | Annual | 190 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $45,470 | Annual | 160 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $48,990 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $85,220 | Annual | 90 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $45,930 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $48,000 | Annual | 120 |
| Waste Collection | 562100 | $45,370 | Annual | 60 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $88,880 | Annual | 50 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $45,560 | Annual | 900 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 811100 | $61,960 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $54,760 | Annual | 170 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $42,940 | Annual | 690 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
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.
Roofing Foreman (47-1011)Masonry Foreman (47-1011)Glazing Foreman (47-1011)Painting Foreman (47-1011)Drywall Foreman (47-1011)Insulation Foreman (47-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Painters, Construction and Maintenance. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $84,370 | 160 | 1.06 | 1.66 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $73,650 | 180 | 1.65 | 1.28 |
| Rockford, IL | $72,700 | 130 | 0.67 | 1.54 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $66,160 | 1,390 | 2.14 | 1.16 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $65,080 | 810 | 5.94 | 1.03 |
| Peoria, IL | $64,450 | 110 | 0.46 | 1.30 |
| Bay City, MI | $64,200 | 60 | 1.25 | 1.41 |
| Springfield, IL | $63,930 | 110 | 0.75 | 1.21 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $63,800 | 40 | 0.61 | 1.32 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $63,600 | 5,310 | 1.54 | 0.86 |
| Victoria, TX | $37,360 | 80 | 1.42 | 0.87 |
| Cleveland, TN | $37,350 | 80 | 1.32 | 0.93 |
| El Paso, TX | $36,280 | 250 | 0.52 | 0.92 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $36,040 | 280 | 1.35 | 0.95 |
| Laredo, TX | $36,020 | 50 | 0.3 | 0.97 |
| Morgantown, WV | $31,970 | 60 | 0.57 | 0.68 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $27,180 | 40 | 0.62 | 1.03 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $26,480 | 30 | 0.42 | 1.05 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $24,950 | 440 | 0.44 | 0.85 |
| Ponce, PR | $23,180 | 30 | 0.37 | 0.86 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Painter in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Painter in National, the published median for SOC 47-2141, Painters, Construction and Maintenance, is $49,400 per year. The middle half of the Painter in National wage distribution runs from $44,640 to $61,660, a width of $17,020 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Painter comparison, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $59,080 per year while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $61,420 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Painter figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Painters, Construction and Maintenance, read alongside Painter in National, are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $122,470 per year (NAICS 221100); Remediation and Other Waste Management Services at $88,880 per year (NAICS 562900); Scientific Research and Development Services at $85,220 per year (NAICS 541700). Those Painter in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Painter in National median was $48,660 per year in May 2024, compared with $49,400 in May 2025, a published difference of $740. That Painter in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $48,660 and $49,400 Painter in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $49,400 per year for Painter in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Painter in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Painter in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Painter in National is broader: BLS groups Painter within Painters, Construction and Maintenance; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Painter in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Painter in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Painter in National buyer?
Painter in National has a published middle-half band of $44,640 to $61,660, a width of $17,020 per year, with median $49,400. An offer inside that Painter in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Painter in National?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Painter in National. Comparing those Painters, Construction and Maintenance tables with the $49,400 Painter in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Painter in National?
Painter in National uses national industry rows for SOC 47-2141, not local sector-specific wages. Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution leads the selected sortable rows at $122,470 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Painter in National.
What changed between the releases for Painter in National?
Painter in National moved from $48,660 in May 2024 to $49,400 in May 2025. These Painter in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-2141. Published annual median: $48,660 (May 2024) and $49,400 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.