What are the main factors that influence a Car Painter's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Car Painter?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Car Painter roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

How does experience change A Car Painter's salary?

A Car Painter's salary grows with experience: an Automotive Mechanic I (0-1 years)earns $50,045, an Automotive Mechanic II (1-3 years)earns $56,496, an Car Painter (3-5 years)earns $63,118, an Automotive Mechanic IV (5-7 years)earns $69,067,

What are the highest paying states for a Car Painter?

Car Painter salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Car Painter roles are District of Columbia $68,409, California $68,150, Massachusetts $67,241. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Car Painter roles make?

Salaries for Car Painter level roles vary by specialization: Painter, Senior: $58,690; Painter III: $58,652; Painter: $52,578; Painter, Experienced: $52,303; Intermediate Painter: $52,290.

How do different companies affect a Car Painter's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Car Painter roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Car Painter Salary in the United States

How much does a Car Painter make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Car Painter in the United States is $61,786 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, a Car Painter's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,414
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,390 to $66,826
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,566

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Car Painter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$66,826	$5,569	$1,285	$32
Average	$61,786	$5,149	$1,188	$30
25th Percentile	$55,390	$4,616	$1,065	$27

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Key Factors That Influence Car Painter Salaries

A Car Painter'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 Do Car Painter 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 Car Painters. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,409.
California: $68,150.
Massachusetts: $67,241.

District of Columbia $68,409 California $68,150 Massachusetts $67,241 Washington $66,994 New Jersey $66,970 Alaska $66,883 Connecticut $66,030 New York $65,684

Hawaii $64,579 Rhode Island $64,060 Maryland $63,707 Minnesota $63,225 Colorado $63,040 Illinois $62,978 Oregon $62,743 Delaware $62,570

New Hampshire $62,462 Virginia $62,218 Pennsylvania $61,508 Nevada $61,149 North Dakota $61,032 Michigan $60,847 Wisconsin $60,779 Vermont $60,643

Texas $60,266 Maine $60,241 Arizona $60,204 Ohio $60,161 Georgia $59,592 Indiana $59,308 Wyoming $59,253 Utah $59,166

Iowa $59,129 Kansas $58,832 Louisiana $58,746 North Carolina $58,715 Missouri $58,703 Florida $58,462 Montana $58,332 Nebraska $58,208

Kentucky $58,140 South Carolina $57,893 Tennessee $57,739 Idaho $57,677 New Mexico $57,226 Oklahoma $57,127 Alabama $56,763 South Dakota $56,151

Arkansas $55,817 West Virginia $55,638 Mississippi $55,101

Top Paying Cities for Car Painters

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: $77,930
San Francisco: $77,077
Oakland: $75,453

San Jose, CA $77,930

San Francisco, CA $77,077

Oakland, CA $75,453

New York, NY $71,140

Paramus, NJ $70,275

Queens Village, NY $70,271

Passaic, NJ $70,213

Bergenfield, NJ $70,207

Stamford, CT $70,071

Huntington, NY $70,046

Newark, NJ $69,589

Bridgeport, CT $69,459

Vallejo, CA $69,336

New Brunswick, NJ $69,311

Petaluma, CA $69,274

Middlesex, NJ $69,157

Somerset, NJ $69,114

Santa Cruz, CA $69,033

Boston, MA $68,656

Monterey, CA $68,440

Seattle, WA $68,298

Santa Rosa, CA $68,286

Los Angeles, CA $68,267

Juneau, AK $68,106

Washington, DC $68,039

Orange, CA $67,819

Santa Ana, CA $67,655

Long Beach, CA $67,594

Anaheim, CA $67,581

Anchorage, AK $67,550

Santa Maria, CA $67,365

Everett, WA $67,353

Danbury, CT $67,135

Bremerton, WA $67,050

Tacoma, WA $66,828

New Suffolk, NY $66,826

Sacramento, CA $66,809

Santa Barbara, CA $66,741

Trenton, NJ $66,673

San Diego, CA $66,673

Brockton, MA $66,605

Fairbanks, AK $66,454

Lompoc, CA $66,296

Lowell, MA $66,246

Ventura, CA $66,234

Nashua, NH $66,222

Stockton, CA $66,216

Modesto, CA $65,765

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,629

Olympia, WA $65,511

Kennewick, WA $65,511

New Haven, CT $65,487

Lawrence, MA $65,264

Hartford, CT $65,203

Riverside, CA $65,190

New Bedford, MA $65,128

Richland, WA $65,128

Bakersfield, CA $65,042

San Bernardino, CA $65,017

New Britain, CT $65,011

Atlantic City, NJ $65,011

New London, CT $64,986

Norwich, CT $64,968

Portsmouth, NH $64,955

Boulder, CO $64,824

Portland, OR $64,739

Worcester, MA $64,733

Minneapolis, MN $64,541

Philadelphia, PA $64,455

Honolulu, HI $64,251

Saint Paul, MN $64,221

Vineland, NJ $64,208

Providence, RI $64,029

Chicago, IL $63,849

Bellingham, WA $63,775

Springfield, MA $63,726

Baltimore, MD $63,707

Chico, CA $63,553

Pittsfield, MA $63,386

Manchester, NH $63,269

Spokane, WA $62,997

Denver, CO $62,991

Albany, NY $62,700

Troy, NY $62,676

Nassau, NY $62,609

Schenectady, NY $62,546

Wilmington, DE $62,496

Burlington, VT $62,410

Salem, OR $62,385

Portland, ME $62,194

Yakima, WA $62,132

Rochester, MN $61,940

Reno, NV $61,909

Fresno, CA $61,909

Milwaukee, WI $61,854

Detroit, MI $61,792

Ann Arbor, MI $61,781

Allentown, PA $61,773

Colorado Springs, CO $61,668

Syracuse, NY $61,638

Carson City, NV $61,638

Houston, TX $61,551

Eugene, OR $61,520

Gary, IN $61,446

Springfield, OR $61,397

Bismarck, ND $61,384

Galveston, TX $61,341

Medford, OR $61,248

Fort Collins, CO $61,224

Concord, NH $61,193

Austin, TX $61,174

Mesa, AZ $61,044

Reading, PA $61,038

Phoenix, AZ $61,032

Dallas, TX $61,013

Saint Cloud, MN $60,954

Madison, WI $60,871

Utica, NY $60,705

Rochester, NY $60,606

Des Moines, IA $60,600

Raleigh, NC $60,593

Atlanta, GA $60,501

Battle Creek, MI $60,482

Salt Lake City, UT $60,464

Lancaster, PA $60,371

Harrisburg, PA $60,284

Kansas City, MO $60,223

Champaign, IL $60,210

Kansas City, KS $60,210

Fort Worth, TX $60,204

Columbus, OH $60,194

Boca Raton, FL $60,179

Pittsburgh, PA $60,155

Richmond, VA $60,130

Indianapolis, IN $60,118

Cleveland, OH $60,111

Las Vegas, NV $60,037

Cincinnati, OH $60,037

Petersburg, VA $59,945

Huntsville, AL $59,852

Lansing, MI $59,811

Lebanon, PA $59,802

Pueblo, CO $59,796

Appleton, WI $59,778

Buffalo, NY $59,753

Dayton, OH $59,735

Racine, WI $59,722

Charlotte, NC $59,716

Saint Louis, MO $59,697

York, PA $59,660

Elkhart, IN $59,660

Gastonia, NC $59,649

Billings, MT $59,634

Beaumont, TX $59,617

Lorain, OH $59,605

Benton Harbor, MI $59,592

Toledo, OH $59,580

Binghamton, NY $59,549

Rock Hill, SC $59,543

Rockford, IL $59,512

Springfield, IL $59,487

Elyria, OH $59,481

Fargo, ND $59,481

Flagstaff, AZ $59,438

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,401

Duluth, MN $59,364

Miami, FL $59,364

Cheyenne, WY $59,321

Grand Forks, ND $59,321

Bangor, ME $59,185

Cedar Rapids, IA $59,117

Durham, NC $59,091

Louisville, KY $59,086

Grand Rapids, MI $59,073

Hialeah, FL $59,067

Casper, WY $58,981

Scranton, PA $58,907

New Orleans, LA $58,888

Virginia Beach, VA $58,882

Akron, OH $58,851

Peoria, IL $58,771

Sarasota, FL $58,758

Nashville, TN $58,715

Omaha, NE $58,715

Green Bay, WI $58,715

Baton Rouge, LA $58,684

Charleston, SC $58,672

Jamestown, NY $58,641

Davenport, IA $58,641

Tucson, AZ $58,610

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,573

Tampa, FL $58,561

Evansville, IN $58,524

Port Arthur, TX $58,524

Bradenton, FL $58,499

Santa Fe, NM $58,388

Orlando, FL $58,276

Clearwater, FL $58,258

Canton, OH $58,128

La Crosse, WI $58,128

Albuquerque, NM $58,091

Newport News, VA $58,085

High Point, NC $58,066

Ogden, UT $58,042

Corpus Christi, TX $57,992

Norfolk, VA $57,955

Laramie, WY $57,955

Rock Island, IL $57,918

Saginaw, MI $57,906

Jacksonville, FL $57,899

Salisbury, NC $57,887

Boise, ID $57,875

Moline, IL $57,844

Fort Myers, FL $57,825

Memphis, TN $57,813

Tulsa, OK $57,782

Waterloo, IA $57,745

Spartanburg, SC $57,683

Lincoln, NE $57,652

Fort Wayne, IN $57,640

Provo, UT $57,634

Cedar Falls, IA $57,560

San Antonio, TX $57,535

Greensboro, NC $57,510

South Bend, IN $57,504

Savannah, GA $57,436

Muskegon, MI $57,411

Birmingham, AL $57,405

Winston Salem, NC $57,375

Lake Charles, LA $57,226

Anderson, IN $57,214

Lexington, KY $57,195

Augusta, GA $57,177

Greenville, SC $57,177

Lima, OH $57,127

Wichita, KS $57,121

Tuscaloosa, AL $57,121

Columbia, SC $57,065

Springfield, OH $57,053

Asheville, NC $56,954

Bloomington, IN $56,911

Knoxville, TN $56,688

Shreveport, LA $56,682

Wilmington, NC $56,602

Roanoke, VA $56,602

Topeka, KS $56,491

Frankfort, KY $56,484

Oklahoma City, OK $56,441

Chillicothe, OH $56,417

Longview, TX $56,410

Melbourne, FL $56,404

Sioux Falls, SD $56,305

Mobile, AL $56,299

Terre Haute, IN $56,275

Altoona, PA $56,237

Amarillo, TX $56,194

Killeen, TX $56,176

Fayetteville, AR $56,126

Chattanooga, TN $56,108

Sioux City, IA $56,052

Idaho Falls, ID $56,040

Lynchburg, VA $55,990

Gainesville, FL $55,910

Portsmouth, OH $55,879

Little Rock, AR $55,867

Lafayette, LA $55,842

Youngstown, OH $55,842

Daytona Beach, FL $55,805

Clarksville, TN $55,799

Pensacola, FL $55,793

Temple, TX $55,788

Hopkinsville, KY $55,607

Erie, PA $55,595

Florence, SC $55,570

Charleston, WV $55,471

Great Falls, MT $55,440

Macon, GA $55,354

Tallahassee, FL $55,348

Fayetteville, NC $55,335

Waco, TX $55,323

Helena, MT $55,280

Pine Bluff, AR $55,256

Vincennes, IN $55,181

Lubbock, TX $55,156

Alamogordo, NM $55,119

Twin Falls, ID $55,064

Rapid City, SD $55,045

Jackson, MS $54,934

Huntington, WV $54,929

Greenville, MS $54,928

Parkersburg, WV $54,865

Montgomery, AL $54,853

Wichita Falls, TX $54,792

Springfield, MO $54,792

Biloxi, MS $54,761

Monroe, LA $54,699

Johnstown, PA $54,656

Sumter, SC $54,631

Columbus, GA $54,625

Pascagoula, MS $54,507

Abilene, TX $54,507

Kingsport, TN $54,347

Albany, GA $54,347

Gulfport, MS $54,328

Alexandria, LA $54,124

Fort Smith, AR $53,970

El Paso, TX $53,803

Las Cruces, NM $53,525

Harlingen, TX $53,368

Pocatello, ID $53,358

Florence, AL $53,278

Brownsville, TX $53,266

Mcallen, TX $53,136

Dothan, AL $53,049

Columbus, MS $52,682

Altus, OK $52,394

Lawton, OK $52,277

Pierre, SD $52,055

What Skills Can Increase a Car Painter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.61% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Retail Operations (Mentioned in 3.81% Job Postings): Retail operations is the term used to describe all the activities that keep the store functioning well. Goal is to increase gross profit margin to ensure keeping more money on each sale.
Wholesale (Mentioned in 1.93% Job Postings): Buying and selling products in large quantities at a lower price to increase profitability through a high sales volume.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	9.61%
Retail Operations	3.81%
Wholesale	1.93%

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 a Car Painter's salary.

Territory Management: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
Bidding: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Territory Management	$75,379	22%
Bidding	$67,347	9%
Initiative	$65,493	6%
Oral Communication	$64,875	5%
Collaboration	$64,257	4%
Partnering	$63,639	3%

Get Latest Data

Car Painter Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Car Painter roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Car Painter positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Car Painter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Car Painter

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$74,143	$36.0	20%
Biotechnology	$74,143	$36.0	20%
Financial Services	$74,143	$36.0	20%
Healthcare	$74,143	$36.0	20%

How Education impacts a Car Painter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Car Painters 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 a Car Painter with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $60,121 and $64,492).

Car Painter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Car Painter

No Diploma 1.3%

High School 62.8%

Associates 28.1%

Bachelors 4.8%

Masters 2.2%

Doctorate 0.9%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.3%
High School	62.8%
Associates	28.1%
Bachelors	4.8%
Masters	2.2%
Doctorate	0.9%

view as graph

Car Painter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Car Painter'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.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$55,390

Average $61,786/year

$66,826

$4,616

Average $5,149/month

$5,569

$1,065

Average $1,188/week

$1,285

$27

Average $30/hour

$32

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$66,826	$5,569	$1,285	$32
Average	$61,786	$5,149	$1,188	$30
25th Percentile	$55,390	$4,616	$1,065	$27

Salaries of jobs related to Car Painter

Salary Trends for Car Painter

Salaries for a Car Painter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $53,863 in 2023 to around $53,188 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Car Painter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Car Painter Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$53,863

2024

$53,588

2025

$53,188

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$53,863
2024	$53,588
2025	$53,188
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Car Painter

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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