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

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

How does experience change A Painter's salary?

A Painter's salary grows with experience: a Painter I (0-1 years)earns $45,686, a Painter (1-3 years)earns $52,320, a Painter III (3-5 years)earns $58,686,

What are the highest paying states for a Painter?

Painter salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Painter roles are District of Columbia $58,213, California $57,992, Massachusetts $57,220. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Painter roles make?

Salaries for Painter level roles vary by specialization: Automotive Painter: $61,798; Painter, Senior: $58,690; Painter III: $58,645; Painter, Experienced: $52,303; Intermediate Painter: $52,290.

How do different companies affect a Painter's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for 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.

Painter Salary in the United States

How much does a Painter make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Painter in the United States is $52,577 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $59,265
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46,671 to $56,078
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $41,294

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Painter Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,078	$4,673	$1,078	$27
Average	$52,577	$4,381	$1,011	$25
25th Percentile	$46,671	$3,889	$898	$22

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Key Factors That Influence Painter Salaries

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

District of Columbia: $58,213.
California: $57,992.
Massachusetts: $57,220.

District of Columbia $58,213 California $57,992 Massachusetts $57,220 Washington $57,009 New Jersey $56,988 Alaska $56,915 Connecticut $56,189 New York $55,895

Hawaii $54,953 Rhode Island $54,512 Maryland $54,212 Minnesota $53,802 Colorado $53,644 Illinois $53,592 Oregon $53,392 Delaware $53,245

New Hampshire $53,152 Virginia $52,945 Pennsylvania $52,340 Nevada $52,035 North Dakota $51,936 Michigan $51,778 Wisconsin $51,720 Vermont $51,604

Texas $51,284 Maine $51,263 Arizona $51,231 Ohio $51,194 Georgia $50,711 Indiana $50,469 Wyoming $50,421 Utah $50,348

Iowa $50,316 Kansas $50,064 Louisiana $49,990 North Carolina $49,964 Missouri $49,953 Florida $49,748 Montana $49,638 Nebraska $49,533

Kentucky $49,475 South Carolina $49,265 Tennessee $49,133 Idaho $49,081 New Mexico $48,697 Oklahoma $48,613 Alabama $48,302 South Dakota $47,782

Arkansas $47,498 West Virginia $47,346 Mississippi $46,888

Top Paying Cities for 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: $66,315
San Francisco: $65,589
Oakland: $64,207

San Jose, CA $66,315

San Francisco, CA $65,589

Oakland, CA $64,207

New York, NY $60,537

Paramus, NJ $59,801

Queens Village, NY $59,798

Passaic, NJ $59,748

Bergenfield, NJ $59,743

Stamford, CT $59,628

Huntington, NY $59,606

Newark, NJ $59,217

Bridgeport, CT $59,107

Vallejo, CA $59,002

New Brunswick, NJ $58,981

Petaluma, CA $58,949

Middlesex, NJ $58,849

Somerset, NJ $58,813

Santa Cruz, CA $58,744

Boston, MA $58,424

Monterey, CA $58,239

Seattle, WA $58,119

Santa Rosa, CA $58,108

Los Angeles, CA $58,092

Juneau, AK $57,956

Washington, DC $57,898

Orange, CA $57,711

Santa Ana, CA $57,572

Long Beach, CA $57,519

Anaheim, CA $57,509

Anchorage, AK $57,482

Santa Maria, CA $57,325

Everett, WA $57,314

Danbury, CT $57,129

Bremerton, WA $57,057

Tacoma, WA $56,867

New Suffolk, NY $56,866

Sacramento, CA $56,852

Santa Barbara, CA $56,794

Trenton, NJ $56,736

San Diego, CA $56,736

Brockton, MA $56,678

Fairbanks, AK $56,549

Lompoc, CA $56,415

Lowell, MA $56,373

Ventura, CA $56,363

Nashua, NH $56,352

Stockton, CA $56,347

Modesto, CA $55,963

Poughkeepsie, NY $55,847

Olympia, WA $55,747

Kennewick, WA $55,747

New Haven, CT $55,726

Lawrence, MA $55,537

Hartford, CT $55,485

Riverside, CA $55,474

New Bedford, MA $55,421

Richland, WA $55,421

Bakersfield, CA $55,348

San Bernardino, CA $55,327

New Britain, CT $55,322

Atlantic City, NJ $55,322

New London, CT $55,300

Norwich, CT $55,285

Portsmouth, NH $55,274

Boulder, CO $55,163

Portland, OR $55,090

Worcester, MA $55,085

Minneapolis, MN $54,922

Philadelphia, PA $54,848

Honolulu, HI $54,675

Saint Paul, MN $54,650

Vineland, NJ $54,638

Providence, RI $54,486

Chicago, IL $54,333

Bellingham, WA $54,270

Springfield, MA $54,228

Baltimore, MD $54,212

Chico, CA $54,081

Pittsfield, MA $53,939

Manchester, NH $53,839

Spokane, WA $53,608

Denver, CO $53,602

Albany, NY $53,355

Troy, NY $53,334

Nassau, NY $53,278

Schenectady, NY $53,224

Wilmington, DE $53,182

Burlington, VT $53,108

Salem, OR $53,087

Portland, ME $52,924

Yakima, WA $52,871

Rochester, MN $52,708

Reno, NV $52,682

Fresno, CA $52,682

Milwaukee, WI $52,635

Detroit, MI $52,582

Ann Arbor, MI $52,573

Allentown, PA $52,566

Colorado Springs, CO $52,477

Syracuse, NY $52,451

Carson City, NV $52,451

Houston, TX $52,377

Eugene, OR $52,351

Gary, IN $52,288

Springfield, OR $52,246

Bismarck, ND $52,235

Galveston, TX $52,198

Medford, OR $52,120

Fort Collins, CO $52,099

Concord, NH $52,072

Austin, TX $52,056

Mesa, AZ $51,946

Reading, PA $51,941

Phoenix, AZ $51,936

Dallas, TX $51,920

Saint Cloud, MN $51,869

Madison, WI $51,799

Utica, NY $51,657

Rochester, NY $51,573

Des Moines, IA $51,568

Raleigh, NC $51,562

Atlanta, GA $51,483

Battle Creek, MI $51,468

Salt Lake City, UT $51,452

Lancaster, PA $51,373

Harrisburg, PA $51,299

Kansas City, MO $51,247

Champaign, IL $51,236

Kansas City, KS $51,236

Fort Worth, TX $51,231

Columbus, OH $51,222

Boca Raton, FL $51,210

Pittsburgh, PA $51,189

Richmond, VA $51,168

Indianapolis, IN $51,157

Cleveland, OH $51,152

Las Vegas, NV $51,089

Cincinnati, OH $51,089

Petersburg, VA $51,010

Huntsville, AL $50,931

Lansing, MI $50,896

Lebanon, PA $50,889

Pueblo, CO $50,884

Appleton, WI $50,868

Buffalo, NY $50,847

Dayton, OH $50,831

Racine, WI $50,821

Charlotte, NC $50,816

Saint Louis, MO $50,800

York, PA $50,768

Elkhart, IN $50,768

Gastonia, NC $50,758

Billings, MT $50,746

Beaumont, TX $50,732

Lorain, OH $50,721

Benton Harbor, MI $50,711

Toledo, OH $50,700

Binghamton, NY $50,674

Rock Hill, SC $50,668

Rockford, IL $50,642

Springfield, IL $50,621

Elyria, OH $50,616

Fargo, ND $50,616

Flagstaff, AZ $50,579

Fort Lauderdale, FL $50,548

Duluth, MN $50,516

Miami, FL $50,516

Cheyenne, WY $50,479

Grand Forks, ND $50,479

Bangor, ME $50,364

Cedar Rapids, IA $50,306

Durham, NC $50,284

Louisville, KY $50,279

Grand Rapids, MI $50,269

Hialeah, FL $50,264

Casper, WY $50,190

Scranton, PA $50,127

New Orleans, LA $50,111

Virginia Beach, VA $50,106

Akron, OH $50,080

Peoria, IL $50,011

Sarasota, FL $50,001

Nashville, TN $49,964

Omaha, NE $49,964

Green Bay, WI $49,964

Baton Rouge, LA $49,938

Charleston, SC $49,927

Jamestown, NY $49,901

Davenport, IA $49,901

Tucson, AZ $49,875

Saint Petersburg, FL $49,843

Tampa, FL $49,832

Evansville, IN $49,801

Port Arthur, TX $49,801

Bradenton, FL $49,780

Santa Fe, NM $49,685

Orlando, FL $49,591

Clearwater, FL $49,575

Canton, OH $49,464

La Crosse, WI $49,464

Albuquerque, NM $49,433

Newport News, VA $49,428

High Point, NC $49,412

Ogden, UT $49,391

Corpus Christi, TX $49,349

Norfolk, VA $49,317

Laramie, WY $49,317

Rock Island, IL $49,286

Saginaw, MI $49,275

Jacksonville, FL $49,270

Salisbury, NC $49,259

Boise, ID $49,249

Moline, IL $49,223

Fort Myers, FL $49,207

Memphis, TN $49,196

Tulsa, OK $49,170

Waterloo, IA $49,138

Spartanburg, SC $49,086

Lincoln, NE $49,060

Fort Wayne, IN $49,049

Provo, UT $49,044

Cedar Falls, IA $48,981

San Antonio, TX $48,960

Greensboro, NC $48,939

South Bend, IN $48,933

Savannah, GA $48,876

Muskegon, MI $48,855

Birmingham, AL $48,849

Winston Salem, NC $48,824

Lake Charles, LA $48,697

Anderson, IN $48,686

Lexington, KY $48,671

Augusta, GA $48,655

Greenville, SC $48,655

Lima, OH $48,613

Wichita, KS $48,607

Tuscaloosa, AL $48,607

Columbia, SC $48,560

Springfield, OH $48,550

Asheville, NC $48,465

Bloomington, IN $48,429

Knoxville, TN $48,239

Shreveport, LA $48,234

Wilmington, NC $48,166

Roanoke, VA $48,166

Topeka, KS $48,071

Frankfort, KY $48,065

Oklahoma City, OK $48,029

Chillicothe, OH $48,008

Longview, TX $48,003

Melbourne, FL $47,998

Sioux Falls, SD $47,913

Mobile, AL $47,908

Terre Haute, IN $47,887

Altoona, PA $47,856

Amarillo, TX $47,819

Killeen, TX $47,803

Fayetteville, AR $47,761

Chattanooga, TN $47,745

Sioux City, IA $47,698

Idaho Falls, ID $47,687

Lynchburg, VA $47,645

Gainesville, FL $47,577

Portsmouth, OH $47,551

Little Rock, AR $47,540

Lafayette, LA $47,519

Youngstown, OH $47,519

Daytona Beach, FL $47,488

Clarksville, TN $47,482

Pensacola, FL $47,477

Temple, TX $47,473

Hopkinsville, KY $47,319

Erie, PA $47,309

Florence, SC $47,288

Charleston, WV $47,204

Great Falls, MT $47,177

Macon, GA $47,104

Tallahassee, FL $47,098

Fayetteville, NC $47,088

Waco, TX $47,077

Helena, MT $47,041

Pine Bluff, AR $47,021

Vincennes, IN $46,957

Lubbock, TX $46,935

Alamogordo, NM $46,904

Twin Falls, ID $46,857

Rapid City, SD $46,841

Jackson, MS $46,746

Huntington, WV $46,743

Greenville, MS $46,741

Parkersburg, WV $46,687

Montgomery, AL $46,678

Wichita Falls, TX $46,625

Springfield, MO $46,625

Biloxi, MS $46,599

Monroe, LA $46,546

Johnstown, PA $46,510

Sumter, SC $46,489

Columbus, GA $46,483

Pascagoula, MS $46,383

Abilene, TX $46,383

Kingsport, TN $46,247

Albany, GA $46,247

Gulfport, MS $46,231

Alexandria, LA $46,057

Fort Smith, AR $45,926

El Paso, TX $45,784

Las Cruces, NM $45,547

Harlingen, TX $45,414

Pocatello, ID $45,405

Florence, AL $45,337

Brownsville, TX $45,327

Mcallen, TX $45,216

Dothan, AL $45,143

Columbus, MS $44,830

Altus, OK $44,585

Lawton, OK $44,485

Pierre, SD $44,296

What Skills Can Increase a Painter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Attention to Detail (Mentioned in 3.64% Job Postings): Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
Surface Preparation (Mentioned in 1.32% Job Postings): Treating the surface of a substance prior to application to increase its adhesion to coatings.
Material Handling (Mentioned in 0.76% Job Postings): Material handling involves short-distance movement within the confines of a building or between a building and a transportation vehicle. It uses a wide range of manual, semi-automated, and automated equipment and includes consideration of the protection, storage, and control of materials throughout their manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Material handling can be used to create time and place utility through the handling, storage, and control of material, as distinct from manufacturing, which creates form utility by changing the shape, form, and makeup of material.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Attention to Detail	3.64%
Surface Preparation	1.32%
Material Handling	0.76%

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 Painter's salary.

Confidentiality: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Confidentiality	$56,257	7%
Leadership	$55,206	5%
Collaboration	$54,680	4%
Scheduling	$54,680	4%
Goal Oriented	$54,680	4%
Plumbing	$54,680	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Painter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Painters enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Painter with a No Diploma is between $51,112 and $55,364).

Painter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Painter

No Diploma 10.7%

High School 57.1%

Associates 17.9%

Bachelors 14.3%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	10.7%
High School	57.1%
Associates	17.9%
Bachelors	14.3%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a 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 June 01, 2026

$46,671

Average $52,577/year

$56,078

$3,889

Average $4,381/month

$4,673

$898

Average $1,011/week

$1,078

$22

Average $25/hour

$27

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,078	$4,673	$1,078	$27
Average	$52,577	$4,381	$1,011	$25
25th Percentile	$46,671	$3,889	$898	$22

Salaries of jobs related to Painter

Salary Trends for Painter

Salaries for a Painter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $50,723 in 2023 to around $50,623 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Painter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Painter Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$50,723

2024

$50,840

2025

$50,623

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$50,723
2024	$50,840
2025	$50,623
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for 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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