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

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

How does experience change A Paint Operator's salary?

A Paint Operator's salary grows with experience: a Painter I (0-1 years)earns $45,923, a Paint Operator (1-3 years)earns $52,591, a Painter III (3-5 years)earns $58,991,

What are the highest paying states for a Paint Operator?

Paint Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Paint Operator roles are District of Columbia $58,516, California $58,294, Massachusetts $57,517. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Paint Operator roles make?

Salaries for Paint Operator level roles vary by specialization: Paint Engineer: $109,631; Paint Manager: $102,322; Paint Inspector: $85,543; Paint Estimator: $62,340; Paint Supervisor: $56,205.

How do different companies affect a Paint Operator's salary?

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

Paint Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Paint Operator make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Paint Operator in the United States is $52,850 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $59,573
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46,913 to $56,369
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $41,508

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Paint Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,369	$4,697	$1,084	$27
Average	$52,850	$4,404	$1,016	$25
25th Percentile	$46,913	$3,909	$902	$23

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Check out Paint Operator Job Openings in the United States

Manufacturing Paint Operator

Nesco Resource - Avon, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Paint Operator Salaries

A Paint Operator'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 Paint Operator 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 Paint Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $58,516.
California: $58,294.
Massachusetts: $57,517.

District of Columbia $58,516

California $58,294

Massachusetts $57,517

Washington $57,305

New Jersey $57,284

Alaska $57,210

Connecticut $56,481

New York $56,185

Hawaii $55,239

Rhode Island $54,795

Maryland $54,494

Minnesota $54,082

Colorado $53,923

Illinois $53,870

Oregon $53,669

Delaware $53,521

New Hampshire $53,428

Virginia $53,220

Pennsylvania $52,612

Nevada $52,306

North Dakota $52,205

Michigan $52,047

Wisconsin $51,989

Vermont $51,872

Texas $51,550

Maine $51,529

Arizona $51,497

Ohio $51,460

Georgia $50,974

Indiana $50,731

Wyoming $50,683

Utah $50,609

Iowa $50,578

Kansas $50,324

Louisiana $50,250

North Carolina $50,224

Missouri $50,213

Florida $50,007

Montana $49,896

Nebraska $49,790

Kentucky $49,732

South Carolina $49,521

Tennessee $49,389

Idaho $49,336

New Mexico $48,950

Oklahoma $48,865

Alabama $48,553

South Dakota $48,030

Arkansas $47,745

West Virginia $47,592

Mississippi $47,132

Top Paying Cities for Paint Operators

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: $66,660
San Francisco: $65,930
Oakland: $64,541

San Jose, CA $66,660

San Francisco, CA $65,930

Oakland, CA $64,541

New York, NY $60,851

Paramus, NJ $60,111

Queens Village, NY $60,109

Passaic, NJ $60,058

Bergenfield, NJ $60,054

Stamford, CT $59,937

Huntington, NY $59,916

Newark, NJ $59,525

Bridgeport, CT $59,414

Vallejo, CA $59,308

New Brunswick, NJ $59,287

Petaluma, CA $59,256

Middlesex, NJ $59,155

Somerset, NJ $59,118

Santa Cruz, CA $59,050

Boston, MA $58,727

Monterey, CA $58,542

Seattle, WA $58,421

Santa Rosa, CA $58,410

Los Angeles, CA $58,394

Juneau, AK $58,257

Washington, DC $58,199

Orange, CA $58,010

Santa Ana, CA $57,871

Long Beach, CA $57,818

Anaheim, CA $57,808

Anchorage, AK $57,781

Santa Maria, CA $57,623

Everett, WA $57,612

Danbury, CT $57,426

Bremerton, WA $57,353

Tacoma, WA $57,163

New Suffolk, NY $57,162

Sacramento, CA $57,147

Santa Barbara, CA $57,089

Trenton, NJ $57,031

San Diego, CA $57,031

Brockton, MA $56,973

Fairbanks, AK $56,843

Lompoc, CA $56,708

Lowell, MA $56,665

Ventura, CA $56,655

Nashua, NH $56,645

Stockton, CA $56,640

Modesto, CA $56,254

Poughkeepsie, NY $56,137

Olympia, WA $56,037

Kennewick, WA $56,037

New Haven, CT $56,016

Lawrence, MA $55,826

Hartford, CT $55,773

Riverside, CA $55,762

New Bedford, MA $55,709

Richland, WA $55,709

Bakersfield, CA $55,635

San Bernardino, CA $55,614

New Britain, CT $55,609

Atlantic City, NJ $55,609

New London, CT $55,588

Norwich, CT $55,572

Portsmouth, NH $55,561

Boulder, CO $55,449

Portland, OR $55,376

Worcester, MA $55,371

Minneapolis, MN $55,207

Philadelphia, PA $55,133

Honolulu, HI $54,959

Saint Paul, MN $54,934

Vineland, NJ $54,922

Providence, RI $54,769

Chicago, IL $54,615

Bellingham, WA $54,552

Springfield, MA $54,510

Baltimore, MD $54,494

Chico, CA $54,362

Pittsfield, MA $54,219

Manchester, NH $54,119

Spokane, WA $53,886

Denver, CO $53,881

Albany, NY $53,632

Troy, NY $53,611

Nassau, NY $53,555

Schenectady, NY $53,500

Wilmington, DE $53,458

Burlington, VT $53,384

Salem, OR $53,363

Portland, ME $53,199

Yakima, WA $53,146

Rochester, MN $52,982

Reno, NV $52,956

Fresno, CA $52,956

Milwaukee, WI $52,908

Detroit, MI $52,855

Ann Arbor, MI $52,847

Allentown, PA $52,840

Colorado Springs, CO $52,750

Syracuse, NY $52,723

Carson City, NV $52,723

Houston, TX $52,649

Eugene, OR $52,623

Gary, IN $52,560

Springfield, OR $52,517

Bismarck, ND $52,507

Galveston, TX $52,470

Medford, OR $52,390

Fort Collins, CO $52,369

Concord, NH $52,343

Austin, TX $52,327

Mesa, AZ $52,216

Reading, PA $52,211

Phoenix, AZ $52,205

Dallas, TX $52,190

Saint Cloud, MN $52,139

Madison, WI $52,068

Utica, NY $51,925

Rochester, NY $51,841

Des Moines, IA $51,835

Raleigh, NC $51,830

Atlanta, GA $51,751

Battle Creek, MI $51,735

Salt Lake City, UT $51,719

Lancaster, PA $51,640

Harrisburg, PA $51,566

Kansas City, MO $51,513

Champaign, IL $51,503

Kansas City, KS $51,503

Fort Worth, TX $51,497

Columbus, OH $51,488

Boca Raton, FL $51,476

Pittsburgh, PA $51,455

Richmond, VA $51,434

Indianapolis, IN $51,423

Cleveland, OH $51,418

Las Vegas, NV $51,355

Cincinnati, OH $51,355

Petersburg, VA $51,275

Huntsville, AL $51,196

Lansing, MI $51,161

Lebanon, PA $51,154

Pueblo, CO $51,148

Appleton, WI $51,133

Buffalo, NY $51,111

Dayton, OH $51,096

Racine, WI $51,085

Charlotte, NC $51,080

Saint Louis, MO $51,064

York, PA $51,032

Elkhart, IN $51,032

Gastonia, NC $51,022

Billings, MT $51,009

Beaumont, TX $50,995

Lorain, OH $50,985

Benton Harbor, MI $50,974

Toledo, OH $50,963

Binghamton, NY $50,937

Rock Hill, SC $50,932

Rockford, IL $50,905

Springfield, IL $50,884

Elyria, OH $50,879

Fargo, ND $50,879

Flagstaff, AZ $50,842

Fort Lauderdale, FL $50,810

Duluth, MN $50,778

Miami, FL $50,778

Cheyenne, WY $50,741

Grand Forks, ND $50,741

Bangor, ME $50,625

Cedar Rapids, IA $50,567

Durham, NC $50,545

Louisville, KY $50,541

Grand Rapids, MI $50,530

Hialeah, FL $50,525

Casper, WY $50,451

Scranton, PA $50,387

New Orleans, LA $50,372

Virginia Beach, VA $50,366

Akron, OH $50,340

Peoria, IL $50,271

Sarasota, FL $50,261

Nashville, TN $50,224

Omaha, NE $50,224

Green Bay, WI $50,224

Baton Rouge, LA $50,197

Charleston, SC $50,187

Jamestown, NY $50,160

Davenport, IA $50,160

Tucson, AZ $50,134

Saint Petersburg, FL $50,102

Tampa, FL $50,091

Evansville, IN $50,060

Port Arthur, TX $50,060

Bradenton, FL $50,039

Santa Fe, NM $49,943

Orlando, FL $49,848

Clearwater, FL $49,832

Canton, OH $49,721

La Crosse, WI $49,721

Albuquerque, NM $49,690

Newport News, VA $49,684

High Point, NC $49,669

Ogden, UT $49,647

Corpus Christi, TX $49,605

Norfolk, VA $49,573

Laramie, WY $49,573

Rock Island, IL $49,542

Saginaw, MI $49,531

Jacksonville, FL $49,526

Salisbury, NC $49,515

Boise, ID $49,505

Moline, IL $49,478

Fort Myers, FL $49,463

Memphis, TN $49,452

Tulsa, OK $49,426

Waterloo, IA $49,394

Spartanburg, SC $49,341

Lincoln, NE $49,315

Fort Wayne, IN $49,304

Provo, UT $49,299

Cedar Falls, IA $49,235

San Antonio, TX $49,214

Greensboro, NC $49,193

South Bend, IN $49,188

Savannah, GA $49,130

Muskegon, MI $49,108

Birmingham, AL $49,103

Winston Salem, NC $49,077

Lake Charles, LA $48,950

Anderson, IN $48,939

Lexington, KY $48,923

Augusta, GA $48,908

Greenville, SC $48,908

Lima, OH $48,865

Wichita, KS $48,860

Tuscaloosa, AL $48,860

Columbia, SC $48,812

Springfield, OH $48,802

Asheville, NC $48,717

Bloomington, IN $48,680

Knoxville, TN $48,490

Shreveport, LA $48,485

Wilmington, NC $48,416

Roanoke, VA $48,416

Topeka, KS $48,321

Frankfort, KY $48,315

Oklahoma City, OK $48,279

Chillicothe, OH $48,258

Longview, TX $48,252

Melbourne, FL $48,247

Sioux Falls, SD $48,162

Mobile, AL $48,157

Terre Haute, IN $48,136

Altoona, PA $48,104

Amarillo, TX $48,067

Killeen, TX $48,051

Fayetteville, AR $48,009

Chattanooga, TN $47,993

Sioux City, IA $47,946

Idaho Falls, ID $47,935

Lynchburg, VA $47,893

Gainesville, FL $47,824

Portsmouth, OH $47,798

Little Rock, AR $47,787

Lafayette, LA $47,766

Youngstown, OH $47,766

Daytona Beach, FL $47,734

Clarksville, TN $47,729

Pensacola, FL $47,724

Temple, TX $47,720

Hopkinsville, KY $47,565

Erie, PA $47,555

Florence, SC $47,533

Charleston, WV $47,449

Great Falls, MT $47,422

Macon, GA $47,348

Tallahassee, FL $47,343

Fayetteville, NC $47,333

Waco, TX $47,322

Helena, MT $47,285

Pine Bluff, AR $47,265

Vincennes, IN $47,201

Lubbock, TX $47,179

Alamogordo, NM $47,148

Twin Falls, ID $47,100

Rapid City, SD $47,084

Jackson, MS $46,989

Huntington, WV $46,985

Greenville, MS $46,984

Parkersburg, WV $46,930

Montgomery, AL $46,920

Wichita Falls, TX $46,868

Springfield, MO $46,868

Biloxi, MS $46,841

Monroe, LA $46,788

Johnstown, PA $46,751

Sumter, SC $46,730

Columbus, GA $46,725

Pascagoula, MS $46,624

Abilene, TX $46,624

Kingsport, TN $46,487

Albany, GA $46,487

Gulfport, MS $46,471

Alexandria, LA $46,297

Fort Smith, AR $46,165

El Paso, TX $46,022

Las Cruces, NM $45,784

Harlingen, TX $45,650

Pocatello, ID $45,641

Florence, AL $45,573

Brownsville, TX $45,562

Mcallen, TX $45,451

Dothan, AL $45,377

Columbus, MS $45,063

Altus, OK $44,817

Lawton, OK $44,717

Pierre, SD $44,526

What Skills Can Increase a Paint Operator'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 Paint Operator'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	$56,550	7%
Leadership	$55,493	5%
Collaboration	$54,964	4%
Scheduling	$54,964	4%
Goal Oriented	$54,964	4%
Plumbing	$54,964	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Paint Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Paint Operators 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 Paint Operator with a No Diploma is between $51,112 and $55,364).

Paint Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Paint Operator

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

Paint Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Paint Operator'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

$46,913

Average $52,850/year

$56,369

$3,909

Average $4,404/month

$4,697

$902

Average $1,016/week

$1,084

$23

Average $25/hour

$27

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,369	$4,697	$1,084	$27
Average	$52,850	$4,404	$1,016	$25
25th Percentile	$46,913	$3,909	$902	$23

Salaries of jobs related to Paint Operator

Salary Trends for Paint Operator

Salaries for a Paint Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $50,986 in 2023 to around $50,886 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Paint Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Paint Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$50,986

2024

$51,104

2025

$50,886

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$50,986
2024	$51,104
2025	$50,886
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Paint Operator

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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