How much does an Aircraft Painter I make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aircraft Painter I in the United States is $44,670 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.
However, an Aircraft Painter I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,436
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $41,816 to $48,735
Key Factors That Influence Aircraft Painter I Salaries
An Aircraft Painter I's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Aircraft Painter Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Aircraft Painter I's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Aircraft Painter I (0-1 years): $44,670
Aircraft Painter II (1-3 years): $56,773
Aircraft Painter III (3-5 years): $63,301
Job Role
Years of Experience
Average Salary
Aircraft Painter I
0-1 years
$44,670
Aircraft Painter II
1-3 years
$56,773
Aircraft Painter III
3-5 years
$63,301
$44,670Aircraft ...
$56,773Aircraft ...
$63,301Aircraft ...
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Aircraft Painter I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Aircraft Painter Is.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $56,342
San Francisco: $55,725
Oakland: $54,551
San Jose, CA$56,342
San Francisco, CA$55,725
Oakland, CA$54,551
New York, NY$51,433
Paramus, NJ$50,807
Queens Village, NY$50,805
Passaic, NJ$50,763
Bergenfield, NJ$50,759
Stamford, CT$50,660
Huntington, NY$50,642
Newark, NJ$50,312
Bridgeport, CT$50,218
Vallejo, CA$50,129
New Brunswick, NJ$50,111
Petaluma, CA$50,084
Middlesex, NJ$49,999
Somerset, NJ$49,968
Santa Cruz, CA$49,910
Boston, MA$49,637
Monterey, CA$49,481
Seattle, WA$49,378
Santa Rosa, CA$49,369
Los Angeles, CA$49,356
Juneau, AK$49,240
Washington, DC$49,191
Orange, CA$49,032
Santa Ana, CA$48,914
Long Beach, CA$48,869
Anaheim, CA$48,860
Anchorage, AK$48,838
Santa Maria, CA$48,704
Everett, WA$48,695
Danbury, CT$48,538
Bremerton, WA$48,476
Tacoma, WA$48,315
New Suffolk, NY$48,314
Sacramento, CA$48,302
Santa Barbara, CA$48,253
Trenton, NJ$48,203
San Diego, CA$48,203
Brockton, MA$48,154
Fairbanks, AK$48,045
Lompoc, CA$47,931
Lowell, MA$47,895
Ventura, CA$47,886
Nashua, NH$47,877
Stockton, CA$47,873
Modesto, CA$47,547
Poughkeepsie, NY$47,448
Olympia, WA$47,364
Kennewick, WA$47,364
New Haven, CT$47,346
Lawrence, MA$47,185
Hartford, CT$47,140
Riverside, CA$47,131
New Bedford, MA$47,087
Richland, WA$47,087
Bakersfield, CA$47,024
San Bernardino, CA$47,006
New Britain, CT$47,002
Atlantic City, NJ$47,002
New London, CT$46,984
Norwich, CT$46,971
Portsmouth, NH$46,962
Boulder, CO$46,867
Portland, OR$46,805
Worcester, MA$46,801
Minneapolis, MN$46,662
Philadelphia, PA$46,600
Honolulu, HI$46,452
Saint Paul, MN$46,431
Vineland, NJ$46,421
Providence, RI$46,292
Chicago, IL$46,162
Bellingham, WA$46,108
Springfield, MA$46,073
Baltimore, MD$46,059
Chico, CA$45,948
Pittsfield, MA$45,827
Manchester, NH$45,742
Spokane, WA$45,546
Denver, CO$45,541
Albany, NY$45,331
Troy, NY$45,313
Nassau, NY$45,265
Schenectady, NY$45,219
Wilmington, DE$45,184
Burlington, VT$45,121
Salem, OR$45,103
Portland, ME$44,965
Yakima, WA$44,920
Rochester, MN$44,782
Reno, NV$44,759
Fresno, CA$44,759
Milwaukee, WI$44,719
Detroit, MI$44,674
Ann Arbor, MI$44,667
Allentown, PA$44,661
Colorado Springs, CO$44,585
Syracuse, NY$44,563
Carson City, NV$44,563
Houston, TX$44,500
Eugene, OR$44,478
Gary, IN$44,424
Springfield, OR$44,389
Bismarck, ND$44,380
Galveston, TX$44,348
Medford, OR$44,281
Fort Collins, CO$44,264
Concord, NH$44,241
Austin, TX$44,228
Mesa, AZ$44,134
Reading, PA$44,129
Phoenix, AZ$44,125
Dallas, TX$44,112
Saint Cloud, MN$44,069
Madison, WI$44,009
Utica, NY$43,888
Rochester, NY$43,817
Des Moines, IA$43,812
Raleigh, NC$43,808
Atlanta, GA$43,741
Battle Creek, MI$43,727
Salt Lake City, UT$43,714
Lancaster, PA$43,647
Harrisburg, PA$43,585
Kansas City, MO$43,540
Champaign, IL$43,531
Kansas City, KS$43,531
Fort Worth, TX$43,526
Columbus, OH$43,519
Boca Raton, FL$43,509
Pittsburgh, PA$43,491
Richmond, VA$43,473
Indianapolis, IN$43,464
Cleveland, OH$43,459
Las Vegas, NV$43,406
Cincinnati, OH$43,406
Petersburg, VA$43,339
Huntsville, AL$43,272
Lansing, MI$43,242
Lebanon, PA$43,236
Pueblo, CO$43,232
Appleton, WI$43,218
Buffalo, NY$43,200
Dayton, OH$43,187
Racine, WI$43,178
Charlotte, NC$43,174
Saint Louis, MO$43,160
York, PA$43,133
Elkhart, IN$43,133
Gastonia, NC$43,125
Billings, MT$43,114
Beaumont, TX$43,102
Lorain, OH$43,093
Benton Harbor, MI$43,084
Toledo, OH$43,075
Binghamton, NY$43,053
Rock Hill, SC$43,048
Rockford, IL$43,026
Springfield, IL$43,008
Elyria, OH$43,004
Fargo, ND$43,004
Flagstaff, AZ$42,973
Fort Lauderdale, FL$42,946
Duluth, MN$42,919
Miami, FL$42,919
Cheyenne, WY$42,888
Grand Forks, ND$42,888
Bangor, ME$42,789
Cedar Rapids, IA$42,740
Durham, NC$42,721
Louisville, KY$42,718
Grand Rapids, MI$42,709
Hialeah, FL$42,705
Casper, WY$42,642
Scranton, PA$42,588
New Orleans, LA$42,575
Virginia Beach, VA$42,571
Akron, OH$42,548
Peoria, IL$42,490
Sarasota, FL$42,481
Nashville, TN$42,450
Omaha, NE$42,450
Green Bay, WI$42,450
Baton Rouge, LA$42,428
Charleston, SC$42,419
Jamestown, NY$42,396
Davenport, IA$42,396
Tucson, AZ$42,374
Saint Petersburg, FL$42,347
Tampa, FL$42,338
Evansville, IN$42,311
Port Arthur, TX$42,311
Bradenton, FL$42,294
Santa Fe, NM$42,213
Orlando, FL$42,133
Clearwater, FL$42,119
Canton, OH$42,026
La Crosse, WI$42,026
Albuquerque, NM$41,999
Newport News, VA$41,994
High Point, NC$41,981
Ogden, UT$41,963
Corpus Christi, TX$41,927
Norfolk, VA$41,900
Laramie, WY$41,900
Rock Island, IL$41,874
Saginaw, MI$41,865
Jacksonville, FL$41,860
Salisbury, NC$41,851
Boise, ID$41,842
Moline, IL$41,820
Fort Myers, FL$41,807
Memphis, TN$41,798
Tulsa, OK$41,775
Waterloo, IA$41,749
Spartanburg, SC$41,704
Lincoln, NE$41,682
Fort Wayne, IN$41,673
Provo, UT$41,668
Cedar Falls, IA$41,615
San Antonio, TX$41,597
Greensboro, NC$41,579
South Bend, IN$41,574
Savannah, GA$41,525
Muskegon, MI$41,507
Birmingham, AL$41,503
Winston Salem, NC$41,481
Lake Charles, LA$41,373
Anderson, IN$41,364
Lexington, KY$41,351
Augusta, GA$41,338
Greenville, SC$41,338
Lima, OH$41,302
Wichita, KS$41,297
Tuscaloosa, AL$41,297
Columbia, SC$41,257
Springfield, OH$41,248
Asheville, NC$41,177
Bloomington, IN$41,146
Knoxville, TN$40,985
Shreveport, LA$40,980
Wilmington, NC$40,922
Roanoke, VA$40,922
Topeka, KS$40,842
Frankfort, KY$40,837
Oklahoma City, OK$40,806
Chillicothe, OH$40,788
Longview, TX$40,784
Melbourne, FL$40,779
Sioux Falls, SD$40,708
Mobile, AL$40,703
Terre Haute, IN$40,685
Altoona, PA$40,659
Amarillo, TX$40,627
Killeen, TX$40,614
Fayetteville, AR$40,578
Chattanooga, TN$40,565
Sioux City, IA$40,525
Idaho Falls, ID$40,516
Lynchburg, VA$40,480
Gainesville, FL$40,422
Portsmouth, OH$40,400
Little Rock, AR$40,391
Lafayette, LA$40,373
Youngstown, OH$40,373
Daytona Beach, FL$40,346
Clarksville, TN$40,341
Pensacola, FL$40,337
Temple, TX$40,334
Hopkinsville, KY$40,203
Erie, PA$40,194
Florence, SC$40,176
Charleston, WV$40,105
Great Falls, MT$40,082
Macon, GA$40,020
Tallahassee, FL$40,015
Fayetteville, NC$40,006
Waco, TX$39,998
Helena, MT$39,966
Pine Bluff, AR$39,949
Vincennes, IN$39,895
Lubbock, TX$39,877
Alamogordo, NM$39,850
Twin Falls, ID$39,810
Rapid City, SD$39,797
Jackson, MS$39,716
Huntington, WV$39,713
Greenville, MS$39,712
Parkersburg, WV$39,666
Montgomery, AL$39,658
Wichita Falls, TX$39,613
Springfield, MO$39,613
Biloxi, MS$39,591
Monroe, LA$39,546
Johnstown, PA$39,515
Sumter, SC$39,497
Columbus, GA$39,493
Pascagoula, MS$39,408
Abilene, TX$39,408
Kingsport, TN$39,292
Albany, GA$39,292
Gulfport, MS$39,278
Alexandria, LA$39,131
Fort Smith, AR$39,019
El Paso, TX$38,899
Las Cruces, NM$38,698
Harlingen, TX$38,584
Pocatello, ID$38,577
Florence, AL$38,519
Brownsville, TX$38,510
Mcallen, TX$38,416
Dothan, AL$38,354
Columbus, MS$38,088
Altus, OK$37,880
Lawton, OK$37,795
Pierre, SD$37,634
What Skills Can Increase an Aircraft Painter I's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 3.55% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 3.94% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
Lean (Mentioned in 2.96% Job Postings): Lean manufacturing, or lean production, is a system of techniques and activities for running a manufacturing or service operation.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
3.55%
Continuous Improvement
3.94%
Lean
2.96%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Aircraft Painter I's salary.
Attention to Detail: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Continuous Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Attention to Detail
$51,817
16%
Decision Making
$51,817
16%
Continuous Improvement
$51,817
16%
Coordination
$46,904
5%
Communication Skills
$46,457
4%
Organizing
$45,117
1%
Get Latest Data
Aircraft Painter I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Aircraft Painter I salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $49,871.
While startup companies pay approximate $42,203.
Aircraft Painter I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$42,203
Growth Stage
51~500
$44,618
Established
501~5000
$48,168
Enterprise
5000+
$49,871
Aircraft Painter I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Aircraft Painter I roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Aerospace & Defense,
offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely,
Aircraft Painter positions in MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Aircraft Painter I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for an Aircraft Painter I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense
$58,071
$28.0
30%
How Education impacts an Aircraft Painter I's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Aircraft Painter Is enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for an Aircraft Painter I with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$42,062
and $45,769).
Aircraft Painter I Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Aircraft Painter I
No Diploma6.7%
High School53.3%
Associates6.7%
Bachelors33.3%
Masters0.0%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
6.7%
High School
53.3%
Associates
6.7%
Bachelors
33.3%
Masters
0.0%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
Aircraft Painter I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Aircraft Painter I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$41,816
Average$44,670/year
$48,735
$3,485
Average$3,723/month
$4,061
$804
Average$859/week
$937
$20
Average$21/hour
$23
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$48,735
$4,061
$937
$23
Average
$44,670
$3,723
$859
$21
25th Percentile
$41,816
$3,485
$804
$20
Aircraft Painter I Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As an Aircraft Painter I, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
Salaries for an Aircraft Painter I can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $44,286 in 2023
to around $44,183 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Aircraft Painter I salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Aircraft Painter I Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$44,286
2024
$44,413
2025
$44,183
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$44,286
2024
$44,413
2025
$44,183
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Aircraft Painter I
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Aircraft Painter I
Here are companies hiring for Aircraft Painter I and their salaries, click below for more details.
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FAQ about Aircraft Painter I
1. Where can an Aircraft Painter I earn the most?
An Aircraft Painter I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer.
According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Aircraft Painter I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Aircraft Painter I is $56,342.
2. What is the highest pay for Aircraft Painter I?
The highest pay for Aircraft Painter I is $52,436.
3. What is the lowest pay for Aircraft Painter I?
The lowest pay for Aircraft Painter I is $39,218.
4. What are the responsibilities of Aircraft Painter I?
Applies pre-mixed and blended paint or coating to interior and exterior of assembled aircraft or parts. Prepares surfaces for painting and protects painted surfaces from erosion. Requires a high school diploma. Typically reports to a supervisor. May require 0-1 year of general work experience. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area.
5. What industry pays the highest salary for Aircraft Painter I?
The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Aircraft Painter I roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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