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 $44,672, a Paint Prep Technician (1-3 years)earns $51,159, a Painter III (3-5 years)earns $57,384,

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 $56,142, California $55,929, Massachusetts $55,184. 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: $54,513; Automotive Paint Technician: $51,179; Paint and Body Technician: $50,341; Auto Paint Technician: $48,840; Paint Technician: $47,325.

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 June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Paint Prep Technician in the United States is $50,706 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): $44,187 to $54,079
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,251

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Paint Prep Technician Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,079	$4,507	$1,040	$26
Average	$50,706	$4,226	$975	$24
25th Percentile	$44,187	$3,682	$850	$21

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Check out Paint Prep Technician Job Openings in the United States

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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: $56,142.
California: $55,929.
Massachusetts: $55,184.

District of Columbia $56,142

California $55,929

Massachusetts $55,184

Washington $54,981

New Jersey $54,960

Alaska $54,889

Connecticut $54,190

New York $53,906

Hawaii $52,998

Rhode Island $52,572

Maryland $52,283

Minnesota $51,888

Colorado $51,736

Illinois $51,685

Oregon $51,492

Delaware $51,350

New Hampshire $51,261

Virginia $51,061

Pennsylvania $50,478

Nevada $50,184

North Dakota $50,088

Michigan $49,935

Wisconsin $49,880

Vermont $49,768

Texas $49,459

Maine $49,439

Arizona $49,408

Ohio $49,373

Georgia $48,906

Indiana $48,673

Wyoming $48,627

Utah $48,556

Iowa $48,526

Kansas $48,282

Louisiana $48,211

North Carolina $48,186

Missouri $48,176

Florida $47,978

Montana $47,872

Nebraska $47,770

Kentucky $47,715

South Carolina $47,512

Tennessee $47,385

Idaho $47,334

New Mexico $46,964

Oklahoma $46,883

Alabama $46,584

South Dakota $46,082

Arkansas $45,808

West Virginia $45,661

Mississippi $45,220

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: $63,956
San Francisco: $63,255
Oakland: $61,922

San Jose, CA $63,956

San Francisco, CA $63,255

Oakland, CA $61,922

New York, NY $58,383

Paramus, NJ $57,673

Queens Village, NY $57,670

Passaic, NJ $57,622

Bergenfield, NJ $57,617

Stamford, CT $57,506

Huntington, NY $57,485

Newark, NJ $57,110

Bridgeport, CT $57,003

Vallejo, CA $56,902

New Brunswick, NJ $56,882

Petaluma, CA $56,852

Middlesex, NJ $56,755

Somerset, NJ $56,720

Santa Cruz, CA $56,654

Boston, MA $56,345

Monterey, CA $56,167

Seattle, WA $56,051

Santa Rosa, CA $56,040

Los Angeles, CA $56,025

Juneau, AK $55,893

Washington, DC $55,838

Orange, CA $55,657

Santa Ana, CA $55,523

Long Beach, CA $55,473

Anaheim, CA $55,462

Anchorage, AK $55,437

Santa Maria, CA $55,285

Everett, WA $55,275

Danbury, CT $55,096

Bremerton, WA $55,026

Tacoma, WA $54,844

New Suffolk, NY $54,843

Sacramento, CA $54,829

Santa Barbara, CA $54,773

Trenton, NJ $54,717

San Diego, CA $54,717

Brockton, MA $54,661

Fairbanks, AK $54,537

Lompoc, CA $54,408

Lowell, MA $54,367

Ventura, CA $54,357

Nashua, NH $54,347

Stockton, CA $54,342

Modesto, CA $53,972

Poughkeepsie, NY $53,860

Olympia, WA $53,764

Kennewick, WA $53,764

New Haven, CT $53,744

Lawrence, MA $53,561

Hartford, CT $53,510

Riverside, CA $53,500

New Bedford, MA $53,449

Richland, WA $53,449

Bakersfield, CA $53,378

San Bernardino, CA $53,358

New Britain, CT $53,353

Atlantic City, NJ $53,353

New London, CT $53,333

Norwich, CT $53,318

Portsmouth, NH $53,307

Boulder, CO $53,200

Portland, OR $53,130

Worcester, MA $53,125

Minneapolis, MN $52,968

Philadelphia, PA $52,897

Honolulu, HI $52,729

Saint Paul, MN $52,705

Vineland, NJ $52,694

Providence, RI $52,547

Chicago, IL $52,400

Bellingham, WA $52,339

Springfield, MA $52,298

Baltimore, MD $52,283

Chico, CA $52,156

Pittsfield, MA $52,019

Manchester, NH $51,923

Spokane, WA $51,700

Denver, CO $51,695

Albany, NY $51,457

Troy, NY $51,436

Nassau, NY $51,382

Schenectady, NY $51,330

Wilmington, DE $51,289

Burlington, VT $51,218

Salem, OR $51,198

Portland, ME $51,041

Yakima, WA $50,990

Rochester, MN $50,833

Reno, NV $50,808

Fresno, CA $50,808

Milwaukee, WI $50,762

Detroit, MI $50,711

Ann Arbor, MI $50,703

Allentown, PA $50,696

Colorado Springs, CO $50,610

Syracuse, NY $50,585

Carson City, NV $50,585

Houston, TX $50,514

Eugene, OR $50,488

Gary, IN $50,427

Springfield, OR $50,387

Bismarck, ND $50,377

Galveston, TX $50,341

Medford, OR $50,265

Fort Collins, CO $50,245

Concord, NH $50,219

Austin, TX $50,204

Mesa, AZ $50,098

Reading, PA $50,093

Phoenix, AZ $50,088

Dallas, TX $50,072

Saint Cloud, MN $50,024

Madison, WI $49,956

Utica, NY $49,819

Rochester, NY $49,738

Des Moines, IA $49,733

Raleigh, NC $49,728

Atlanta, GA $49,652

Battle Creek, MI $49,636

Salt Lake City, UT $49,621

Lancaster, PA $49,545

Harrisburg, PA $49,474

Kansas City, MO $49,423

Champaign, IL $49,413

Kansas City, KS $49,413

Fort Worth, TX $49,408

Columbus, OH $49,400

Boca Raton, FL $49,388

Pittsburgh, PA $49,368

Richmond, VA $49,347

Indianapolis, IN $49,337

Cleveland, OH $49,332

Las Vegas, NV $49,271

Cincinnati, OH $49,271

Petersburg, VA $49,195

Huntsville, AL $49,119

Lansing, MI $49,085

Lebanon, PA $49,079

Pueblo, CO $49,073

Appleton, WI $49,058

Buffalo, NY $49,038

Dayton, OH $49,023

Racine, WI $49,013

Charlotte, NC $49,008

Saint Louis, MO $48,992

York, PA $48,962

Elkhart, IN $48,962

Gastonia, NC $48,952

Billings, MT $48,940

Beaumont, TX $48,926

Lorain, OH $48,916

Benton Harbor, MI $48,906

Toledo, OH $48,896

Binghamton, NY $48,871

Rock Hill, SC $48,866

Rockford, IL $48,840

Springfield, IL $48,820

Elyria, OH $48,815

Fargo, ND $48,815

Flagstaff, AZ $48,779

Fort Lauderdale, FL $48,749

Duluth, MN $48,719

Miami, FL $48,719

Cheyenne, WY $48,683

Grand Forks, ND $48,683

Bangor, ME $48,571

Cedar Rapids, IA $48,516

Durham, NC $48,494

Louisville, KY $48,490

Grand Rapids, MI $48,480

Hialeah, FL $48,475

Casper, WY $48,404

Scranton, PA $48,343

New Orleans, LA $48,328

Virginia Beach, VA $48,323

Akron, OH $48,298

Peoria, IL $48,232

Sarasota, FL $48,222

Nashville, TN $48,186

Omaha, NE $48,186

Green Bay, WI $48,186

Baton Rouge, LA $48,161

Charleston, SC $48,151

Jamestown, NY $48,125

Davenport, IA $48,125

Tucson, AZ $48,100

Saint Petersburg, FL $48,069

Tampa, FL $48,059

Evansville, IN $48,029

Port Arthur, TX $48,029

Bradenton, FL $48,009

Santa Fe, NM $47,917

Orlando, FL $47,826

Clearwater, FL $47,811

Canton, OH $47,704

La Crosse, WI $47,704

Albuquerque, NM $47,674

Newport News, VA $47,669

High Point, NC $47,654

Ogden, UT $47,633

Corpus Christi, TX $47,593

Norfolk, VA $47,562

Laramie, WY $47,562

Rock Island, IL $47,532

Saginaw, MI $47,522

Jacksonville, FL $47,517

Salisbury, NC $47,507

Boise, ID $47,496

Moline, IL $47,471

Fort Myers, FL $47,456

Memphis, TN $47,446

Tulsa, OK $47,420

Waterloo, IA $47,390

Spartanburg, SC $47,339

Lincoln, NE $47,314

Fort Wayne, IN $47,304

Provo, UT $47,299

Cedar Falls, IA $47,238

San Antonio, TX $47,218

Greensboro, NC $47,197

South Bend, IN $47,192

Savannah, GA $47,136

Muskegon, MI $47,116

Birmingham, AL $47,111

Winston Salem, NC $47,086

Lake Charles, LA $46,964

Anderson, IN $46,954

Lexington, KY $46,939

Augusta, GA $46,924

Greenville, SC $46,924

Lima, OH $46,883

Wichita, KS $46,878

Tuscaloosa, AL $46,878

Columbia, SC $46,832

Springfield, OH $46,822

Asheville, NC $46,741

Bloomington, IN $46,705

Knoxville, TN $46,523

Shreveport, LA $46,518

Wilmington, NC $46,452

Roanoke, VA $46,452

Topeka, KS $46,361

Frankfort, KY $46,355

Oklahoma City, OK $46,320

Chillicothe, OH $46,300

Longview, TX $46,295

Melbourne, FL $46,290

Sioux Falls, SD $46,209

Mobile, AL $46,203

Terre Haute, IN $46,183

Altoona, PA $46,153

Amarillo, TX $46,117

Killeen, TX $46,102

Fayetteville, AR $46,062

Chattanooga, TN $46,046

Sioux City, IA $46,001

Idaho Falls, ID $45,991

Lynchburg, VA $45,950

Gainesville, FL $45,884

Portsmouth, OH $45,859

Little Rock, AR $45,849

Lafayette, LA $45,828

Youngstown, OH $45,828

Daytona Beach, FL $45,798

Clarksville, TN $45,793

Pensacola, FL $45,788

Temple, TX $45,784

Hopkinsville, KY $45,636

Erie, PA $45,625

Florence, SC $45,605

Charleston, WV $45,524

Great Falls, MT $45,499

Macon, GA $45,428

Tallahassee, FL $45,423

Fayetteville, NC $45,412

Waco, TX $45,402

Helena, MT $45,367

Pine Bluff, AR $45,348

Vincennes, IN $45,286

Lubbock, TX $45,265

Alamogordo, NM $45,235

Twin Falls, ID $45,189

Rapid City, SD $45,174

Jackson, MS $45,083

Huntington, WV $45,079

Greenville, MS $45,078

Parkersburg, WV $45,026

Montgomery, AL $45,017

Wichita Falls, TX $44,966

Springfield, MO $44,966

Biloxi, MS $44,941

Monroe, LA $44,890

Johnstown, PA $44,855

Sumter, SC $44,834

Columbus, GA $44,829

Pascagoula, MS $44,733

Abilene, TX $44,733

Kingsport, TN $44,601

Albany, GA $44,601

Gulfport, MS $44,586

Alexandria, LA $44,419

Fort Smith, AR $44,292

El Paso, TX $44,155

Las Cruces, NM $43,927

Harlingen, TX $43,798

Pocatello, ID $43,790

Florence, AL $43,724

Brownsville, TX $43,714

Mcallen, TX $43,607

Dothan, AL $43,536

Columbus, MS $43,235

Altus, OK $42,999

Lawton, OK $42,903

Pierre, SD $42,720

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	$54,256	7%
Leadership	$53,242	5%
Collaboration	$52,734	4%
Scheduling	$52,734	4%
Goal Oriented	$52,734	4%
Plumbing	$52,734	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 June 01, 2026

$44,187

Average $50,706/year

$54,079

$3,682

Average $4,226/month

$4,507

$850

Average $975/week

$1,040

$21

Average $24/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,079	$4,507	$1,040	$26
Average	$50,706	$4,226	$975	$24
25th Percentile	$44,187	$3,682	$850	$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

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Healthcare

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Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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