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

A Paint Prep Technician's salary grows with experience: a Painter I (0-1 years)earns $44,673, a Paint Prep Technician (1-3 years)earns $51,157, a Painter III (3-5 years)earns $57,370,

What are the highest paying states for a Paint Prep Technician?

Paint Prep Technician salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Paint Prep Technician roles are District of Columbia $56,138, California $55,925, Massachusetts $55,180. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Paint Prep Technician roles make?

Salaries for Paint Prep Technician level roles vary by specialization: Media Prep Technician: $54,496; Automotive Paint Technician: $51,178; Paint and Body Technician: $50,340; Auto Paint Technician: $48,839; Paint Technician: $47,323.

How do different companies affect a Paint Prep Technician's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Paint Prep Technician 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 Prep Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Paint Prep Technician make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Paint Prep Technician in the United States is $50,703 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $24.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $57,149
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $44,160 to $54,077
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,203

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

Smart Recruiting

AI-Powered HR

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Paint Prep Technician Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,077	$4,506	$1,040	$26
Average	$50,703	$4,225	$975	$24
25th Percentile	$44,160	$3,680	$849	$21

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Paint Prep Technician Job Openings in the United States

Industrial Paint Prep Technician

Re:Build Manufacturing - Avon, OH

Industrial Paint Technician Precision&amp Prep Mastery

Elliott Machine Works Inc - Galion, OH

Auto Body Prep Technician Launch Your Paint Career

Carvana - Heath, OH

Paint Technician

Elliott Machine Works Inc - Galion, OH

Search More Paint Prep Technician Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Paint Prep Technician Salaries

A Paint Prep Technician'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 Prep Technician 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 Prep Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $56,138.
California: $55,925.
Massachusetts: $55,180.

District of Columbia $56,138

California $55,925

Massachusetts $55,180

Washington $54,977

New Jersey $54,957

Alaska $54,886

Connecticut $54,186

New York $53,902

Hawaii $52,994

Rhode Island $52,568

Maryland $52,279

Minnesota $51,884

Colorado $51,732

Illinois $51,681

Oregon $51,488

Delaware $51,347

New Hampshire $51,257

Virginia $51,058

Pennsylvania $50,474

Nevada $50,180

North Dakota $50,084

Michigan $49,932

Wisconsin $49,876

Vermont $49,765

Texas $49,455

Maine $49,435

Arizona $49,405

Ohio $49,369

Georgia $48,903

Indiana $48,669

Wyoming $48,624

Utah $48,553

Iowa $48,522

Kansas $48,279

Louisiana $48,208

North Carolina $48,183

Missouri $48,173

Florida $47,975

Montana $47,868

Nebraska $47,767

Kentucky $47,711

South Carolina $47,508

Tennessee $47,382

Idaho $47,331

New Mexico $46,961

Oklahoma $46,880

Alabama $46,580

South Dakota $46,079

Arkansas $45,805

West Virginia $45,658

Mississippi $45,217

Top Paying Cities for Paint Prep Technicians

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: $63,951
San Francisco: $63,322
Oakland: $61,918

San Jose, CA $63,951

San Francisco, CA $63,322

Oakland, CA $61,918

New York, NY $58,759

Queens Village, NY $58,379

Paramus, NJ $57,973

Passaic, NJ $57,923

Bergenfield, NJ $57,872

Stamford, CT $57,796

Huntington, NY $57,745

Newark, NJ $57,416

Bridgeport, CT $57,314

New Brunswick, NJ $57,147

Vallejo, CA $57,040

Middlesex, NJ $57,010

Somerset, NJ $56,964

Petaluma, CA $56,848

Santa Cruz, CA $56,650

Boston, MA $56,549

Monterey, CA $56,295

Fairbanks, AK $56,260

Los Angeles, CA $56,163

Washington, DC $56,138

Seattle, WA $56,047

Santa Rosa, CA $56,037

Juneau, AK $55,889

Orange, CA $55,722

Anchorage, AK $55,631

Anaheim, CA $55,595

Santa Ana, CA $55,519

Nassau, NY $55,489

Long Beach, CA $55,469

Danbury, CT $55,453

Santa Maria, CA $55,281

Everett, WA $55,271

Bremerton, WA $55,022

Trenton, NJ $54,926

Sacramento, CA $54,906

San Diego, CA $54,880

Brockton, MA $54,860

Tacoma, WA $54,840

Santa Barbara, CA $54,769

Lowell, MA $54,566

New Suffolk, NY $54,546

Nashua, NH $54,485

Lompoc, CA $54,404

Ventura, CA $54,353

Stockton, CA $54,338

New Haven, CT $54,237

Atlantic City, NJ $54,105

Hartford, CT $53,993

Modesto, CA $53,968

Poughkeepsie, NY $53,856

New Britain, CT $53,831

Olympia, WA $53,760

Kennewick, WA $53,760

New London, CT $53,750

Norwich, CT $53,735

Lawrence, MA $53,709

Bakersfield, CA $53,567

Riverside, CA $53,496

New Bedford, MA $53,496

Richland, WA $53,446

Portsmouth, NH $53,405

Vineland, NJ $53,395

San Bernardino, CA $53,354

Boulder, CO $53,212

Worcester, MA $53,172

Portland, OR $53,126

Saint Paul, MN $53,065

Minneapolis, MN $53,065

Philadelphia, PA $52,994

Honolulu, HI $52,726

Springfield, MA $52,548

Providence, RI $52,543

Chicago, IL $52,396

Bellingham, WA $52,335

Baltimore, MD $52,279

Chico, CA $52,153

Wilmington, DE $52,066

Pittsfield, MA $52,016

Manchester, NH $51,919

Spokane, WA $51,696

Denver, CO $51,691

Albany, NY $51,453

Troy, NY $51,433

Schenectady, NY $51,326

Burlington, VT $51,215

Portland, ME $51,037

Salem, OR $50,997

Yakima, WA $50,987

Ann Arbor, MI $50,971

Rochester, MN $50,829

Fresno, CA $50,804

Reno, NV $50,804

Milwaukee, WI $50,758

Detroit, MI $50,708

Allentown, PA $50,692

Carson City, NV $50,687

Houston, TX $50,611

Colorado Springs, CO $50,606

Syracuse, NY $50,581

Eugene, OR $50,485

Bismarck, ND $50,424

Gary, IN $50,424

Galveston, TX $50,424

Springfield, OR $50,383

Medford, OR $50,261

Fort Collins, CO $50,241

Austin, TX $50,201

Mesa, AZ $50,094

Phoenix, AZ $50,084

Dallas, TX $50,069

Reading, PA $50,038

Saint Cloud, MN $50,018

Concord, NH $49,972

Madison, WI $49,952

Utica, NY $49,815

Raleigh, NC $49,775

Las Vegas, NV $49,770

Rochester, NY $49,734

Des Moines, IA $49,729

Atlanta, GA $49,648

Battle Creek, MI $49,633

Salt Lake City, UT $49,618

Lancaster, PA $49,542

Champaign, IL $49,531

Harrisburg, PA $49,471

Durham, NC $49,425

Kansas City, MO $49,420

Kansas City, KS $49,410

Fort Worth, TX $49,405

Boca Raton, FL $49,384

Cleveland, OH $49,379

Columbus, OH $49,369

Pittsburgh, PA $49,364

Richmond, VA $49,344

Indianapolis, IN $49,334

Cincinnati, OH $49,268

Petersburg, VA $49,192

Billings, MT $49,080

Lansing, MI $49,080

Huntsville, AL $49,080

Lebanon, PA $49,075

Dayton, OH $49,070

Pueblo, CO $49,070

Appleton, WI $49,055

Buffalo, NY $49,034

Racine, WI $49,009

Charlotte, NC $49,004

Saint Louis, MO $48,989

Springfield, IL $48,969

Elkhart, IN $48,958

York, PA $48,958

Gastonia, NC $48,953

Benton Harbor, MI $48,953

Beaumont, TX $48,923

Lorain, OH $48,913

Toledo, OH $48,893

Binghamton, NY $48,867

Rock Hill, SC $48,862

Rockford, IL $48,837

Fargo, ND $48,811

Elyria, OH $48,811

Flagstaff, AZ $48,776

Fort Lauderdale, FL $48,745

Miami, FL $48,715

Duluth, MN $48,634

Bangor, ME $48,568

Cedar Rapids, IA $48,512

Louisville, KY $48,487

Grand Rapids, MI $48,477

Hialeah, FL $48,472

Casper, WY $48,401

Scranton, PA $48,340

New Orleans, LA $48,325

Virginia Beach, VA $48,320

Akron, OH $48,294

Peoria, IL $48,228

Sarasota, FL $48,218

Green Bay, WI $48,183

Baton Rouge, LA $48,157

Charleston, SC $48,147

Nashville, TN $48,132

Jamestown, NY $48,122

Davenport, IA $48,122

Tucson, AZ $48,096

Cheyenne, WY $48,081

Saint Petersburg, FL $48,066

Tampa, FL $48,056

Omaha, NE $48,046

Port Arthur, TX $48,026

Evansville, IN $48,026

Bradenton, FL $48,005

Santa Fe, NM $47,914

Orlando, FL $47,863

Clearwater, FL $47,807

Canton, OH $47,701

La Crosse, WI $47,701

Grand Forks, ND $47,686

Albuquerque, NM $47,671

Tulsa, OK $47,671

Newport News, VA $47,666

High Point, NC $47,650

Ogden, UT $47,630

Corpus Christi, TX $47,589

Laramie, WY $47,559

Norfolk, VA $47,559

Rock Island, IL $47,529

Saginaw, MI $47,518

Jacksonville, FL $47,513

Salisbury, NC $47,503

Memphis, TN $47,493

Moline, IL $47,468

Fort Myers, FL $47,453

Waterloo, IA $47,387

Spartanburg, SC $47,336

Lincoln, NE $47,311

Fort Wayne, IN $47,300

Birmingham, AL $47,245

Cedar Falls, IA $47,235

Provo, UT $47,229

Springfield, OH $47,224

San Antonio, TX $47,214

Greensboro, NC $47,194

South Bend, IN $47,189

Winston Salem, NC $47,184

Boise, ID $47,169

Savannah, GA $47,133

Muskegon, MI $47,042

Lima, OH $46,981

Lake Charles, LA $46,961

Anderson, IN $46,951

Lexington, KY $46,935

Augusta, GA $46,920

Greenville, SC $46,920

Wichita, KS $46,875

Tuscaloosa, AL $46,875

Columbia, SC $46,829

Bloomington, IN $46,702

Roanoke, VA $46,672

Asheville, NC $46,606

Knoxville, TN $46,520

Shreveport, LA $46,515

Wilmington, NC $46,449

Frankfort, KY $46,352

Oklahoma City, OK $46,317

Chillicothe, OH $46,297

Longview, TX $46,291

Topeka, KS $46,276

Mobile, AL $46,200

Terre Haute, IN $46,180

Erie, PA $46,175

Altoona, PA $46,150

Melbourne, FL $46,134

Amarillo, TX $46,114

Killeen, TX $46,099

Fayetteville, AR $46,058

Sioux Falls, SD $46,023

Chattanooga, TN $45,992

Idaho Falls, ID $45,987

Gainesville, FL $45,881

Portsmouth, OH $45,855

Little Rock, AR $45,845

Lynchburg, VA $45,845

Lafayette, LA $45,825

Youngstown, OH $45,825

Temple, TX $45,805

Daytona Beach, FL $45,795

Clarksville, TN $45,790

Pensacola, FL $45,784

Hopkinsville, KY $45,632

Charleston, WV $45,627

Florence, SC $45,602

Sioux City, IA $45,571

Macon, GA $45,424

Tallahassee, FL $45,419

Fayetteville, NC $45,409

Waco, TX $45,399

Wichita Falls, TX $45,399

Pine Bluff, AR $45,379

Vincennes, IN $45,282

Lubbock, TX $45,262

Great Falls, MT $45,232

Alamogordo, NM $45,227

Abilene, TX $45,186

Rapid City, SD $45,120

Monroe, LA $45,120

Albany, GA $45,090

Huntington, WV $45,085

Jackson, MS $45,080

Greenville, MS $45,075

Parkersburg, WV $45,024

Montgomery, AL $45,014

Johnstown, PA $45,004

Springfield, MO $44,963

Biloxi, MS $44,938

Sumter, SC $44,831

Columbus, GA $44,826

Twin Falls, ID $44,796

Pascagoula, MS $44,730

Kingsport, TN $44,598

Gulfport, MS $44,583

Alexandria, LA $44,415

Fort Smith, AR $44,289

El Paso, TX $44,152

Helena, MT $44,086

Las Cruces, NM $43,924

Harlingen, TX $43,782

Pocatello, ID $43,736

Florence, AL $43,721

Brownsville, TX $43,711

Dothan, AL $43,630

Mcallen, TX $43,604

Columbus, MS $43,229

Altus, OK $42,996

Lawton, OK $42,899

Pierre, SD $42,717

What Skills Can Increase a Paint Prep Technician'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 Prep Technician'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	$54,252	7%
Leadership	$53,238	5%
Collaboration	$52,731	4%
Scheduling	$52,731	4%
Goal Oriented	$52,731	4%
Plumbing	$52,731	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Paint Prep Technician's Salary?

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

Paint Prep Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Paint Prep Technician

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 Prep Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Paint Prep Technician'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 April 01, 2026

$44,160

Average $50,703/year

$54,077

$3,680

Average $4,225/month

$4,506

$849

Average $975/week

$1,040

$21

Average $24/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,077	$4,506	$1,040	$26
Average	$50,703	$4,225	$975	$24
25th Percentile	$44,160	$3,680	$849	$21

Salaries of jobs related to Paint Prep Technician

Salary Trends for Paint Prep Technician

Salaries for a Paint Prep Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $49,598 in 2023 to around $49,500 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Paint Prep Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Paint Prep Technician Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$49,598

2024

$49,712

2025

$49,500

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$49,598
2024	$49,712
2025	$49,500
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Paint Prep Technician

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Paint Prep Technician Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Paint Prep Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about