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Painter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$49,400median pay per year, or $23.75 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,440lowest 10% earn less
  2. $44,64025th percentile
  3. $49,400median
  4. $61,66075th percentile
  5. $78,810top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Construction and maintenance painters had a median pay of $49,400 a year, a little under the median for all occupations[1][2]. No formal education is typically needed, and the trade is learned on the job[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3%[6]
Openings per year
24,900[7]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[3]

How much do painters make?

The official BLS category is Painters, Construction and Maintenance. In May 2025, the median pay was $49,400 a year, or $23.75 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $55,420 a year, or $26.64 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2].

The range was wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,440 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $78,810[5]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[5][10] $37,440 $18.00
25th percentile[5][10] $44,640 $21.46
Median[1] $49,400 $23.75
75th percentile[5][10] $61,660 $29.65
90th percentile[5][10] $78,810 $37.89

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed and do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. That gap matters here, because 31.3% of painters were self-employed in 2025[12]. About 225,190 people held wage and salary painter jobs in May 2025[13].

Pay by state and city

Hawaii had the highest median annual wage at $68,220, followed by Illinois at $61,260 and Alaska at $60,980[14]. Hawaii had 1,900 jobs[14].

The most jobs were in California (38,430), Florida (22,450) and Texas (18,330), followed by New York (13,040) and Washington (9,510)[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[16], Champaign-Urbana, IL had the highest median at $84,370. Kahului-Wailuku, HI came next at $73,650, then Rockford, IL at $72,700[16]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the most jobs, 12,100, with a median of $59,080[17]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ was close behind with 11,930 jobs and a median of $61,420[17].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[14]$68,2201,900
Illinois$61,2606,820
Alaska$60,980440
Washington$59,6509,510
New York$59,57013,040
District of Columbia$59,520500
Maine$59,2702,120
New Jersey$59,2504,110
California$59,02038,430
Delaware$58,530480
Connecticut$58,4802,230
Montana$58,290920
Massachusetts$57,5104,430
Missouri$57,5103,980
Minnesota$57,2703,810
Nevada$56,3904,120
North Dakota$54,870420
Vermont$53,120550
Colorado$52,9703,480
Pennsylvania$52,1205,980
Michigan$50,6504,920
Indiana$50,2603,510
Wisconsin$50,0903,350
Iowa$49,7101,770
New Hampshire$49,670910
Ohio$49,4505,600
Maryland$49,1203,750
Oregon$48,9005,410
Georgia$48,3402,760
Arizona$48,2505,210
South Dakota$48,160670
Kentucky$48,1101,390
Florida$47,53022,450
Virginia$47,4705,930
Nebraska$47,2801,590
Wyoming$47,220480
Louisiana$46,4104,090
New Mexico$46,2401,010
Utah$46,0503,510
Kansas$45,5101,570
Texas$45,46018,330
Oklahoma$44,9001,880
Idaho$44,8802,040
Mississippi$44,8001,060
West Virginia$44,230720
North Carolina$44,1105,220
Alabama$43,9301,570
Tennessee$43,2303,040
Rhode Island$41,5901,160
South Carolina$40,8402,080
Arkansas$40,090890

How to become a painter

Here is the typical path[3][4]:

BLS lists no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training as typical[3]. Painters may need extra safety training for scaffolding and harnesses[19].

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers certification for lead paint abatement[22]. Some states require a license for lead paint removal, so check with your state licensing board[23]. Employers may ask for a driver's license so you can get to jobsites[24].

With experience, painters can move up to supervisor, superintendent or manager roles, work as estimators, or start their own business[25].

What painters do

O*NET describes the job as painting walls, equipment, buildings, bridges and other surfaces with brushes, rollers and spray guns[26]. Common tasks include:

Workers report titles such as House Painter, Commercial Painter and Maintenance Painter[28].

Where painters work

Painting and wall covering contractors were the largest employer group, with 42% of jobs[29]. Painters work on bridges, machinery, and the insides and outsides of buildings[30]. They usually work both indoors and outdoors, and may face extreme temperatures outside or in confined spaces[31].

The work involves a lot of bending, kneeling, reaching and climbing[30]. Some painters work at great heights, and some are suspended by ropes or cables[30]. Common hazards include falls from ladders, muscle strains and dust[32]. Some jobs call for protective suits or eyewear[33].

BLS says most painters work full time. Painters who work for themselves may be able to choose their own hours, industrial painters may have to travel, and outdoor jobs may be seasonal[34].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 326,900 to 336,700 jobs, a gain of 9,800[6]. That is a little below the 3.5% projected for all occupations[35]. These counts include self-employed workers[6].

BLS expects about 24,900 openings a year on average[7]. Openings count more than new jobs. They also include spots left by workers who retire or move to other occupations[7]. Each year, 3.4% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[36].

Is it a good fit?

The path has a low barrier to entry, with no formal education and no related experience needed, and training happens on the job[3]. Median pay was close to the all-occupations median, and the top 10% earned more than $78,810[1][2][5]. Growth is projected slightly below the all-occupations rate, though openings run at about 24,900 a year[6][35][7]. The work involves heights, climbing and some injury risk[30][32]. Nearly a third of painters are self-employed, and painters may also start their own business[12][25].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[37].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a painter make an hour?
The median pay for construction and maintenance painters was $23.75 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $26.64[1][8].
Do you need a degree to be a painter?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential, and painters typically learn on the job[3][4].
How long does it take to become a painter?
BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[3]. Apprenticeships, which are less common, last 3 or 4 years[21].
Is painting in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 24,900 openings a year[6][35][7].
What is the highest paying state for painters?
Hawaii had the highest median annual wage at $68,220, followed by Illinois at $61,260[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance in the US was $49,400 per year and $23.75 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Painters, Construction and Maintenance: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  4. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Painters, Construction and Maintenance: 10th percentile $37,440, 25th percentile $44,640, 75th percentile $61,660, 90th percentile $78,810. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Painters, Construction and Maintenance is projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 326,900 to 336,700 jobs (a change of +9,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections: about 24,900 openings for Painters, Construction and Maintenance are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance was $55,420 per year and $26.64 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Painters, Construction and Maintenance: 10th percentile $18.00, 25th percentile $21.46, 75th percentile $29.65, 90th percentile $37.89. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 31.3% of Painters, Construction and Maintenance were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 225,190 people were employed as Painters, Construction and Maintenance in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. Median annual wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Painters, Construction and Maintenance jobs: California 38,430; Florida 22,450; Texas 18,330; New York 13,040; Washington 9,510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance (areas with at least 100 jobs): Champaign-Urbana, IL $84,370; Kahului-Wailuku, HI $73,650; Rockford, IL $72,700; Urban Honolulu, HI $66,160; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $65,080; Peoria, IL $64,450; Springfield, IL $63,930; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $63,600. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Painters, Construction and Maintenance jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 12,100 (median $59,080); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 11,930 (median $61,420); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 6,210 (median $48,490); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 5,480 (median $61,740); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 5,310 (median $63,600); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,140 (median $60,440). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. O*NET description of Painters, Construction and Maintenance. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET task list for Painters, Construction and Maintenance. O*NET OnLine
  28. O*NET 47-2141.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Building Trades Painter, Commercial Painter, Facilities Painter, Highway Painter, House Painter, Industrial Painter, Maintenance Painter, Painter. O*NET OnLine
  29. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of painters, construction and maintenance in 2025: Painting and wall covering contractors 42%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Painters, Construction and Maintenance: 3.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  37. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.