Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,260 | $17.43 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Mean (average) | $52,620 | $25.30 |
| 90th percentile | $74,730 | $35.93 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $44,250 | $31,200 | $60,920 | 5,250 | 2.43 |
| Alaska | $69,910 | $34,850 | $92,340 | 140 | 0.43 |
| Arizona | $47,860 | $34,360 | $84,510 | 2,440 | 0.74 |
| Arkansas | $46,380 | $34,910 | $61,950 | 1,870 | 1.41 |
| California | $52,950 | $36,790 | $82,640 | 11,570 | 0.62 |
| Colorado | $53,590 | $39,150 | $101,670 | 1,470 | 0.5 |
| Connecticut | $52,900 | $38,460 | $79,050 | 1,550 | 0.9 |
| Delaware | $46,120 | $31,550 | $75,780 | 100 | 0.2 |
| Florida | $47,860 | $35,950 | $71,330 | 6,200 | 0.61 |
| Georgia | $46,450 | $35,530 | $69,970 | 5,900 | 1.18 |
| Hawaii | $51,990 | $39,520 | $69,570 | 230 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | $45,810 | $36,690 | $63,780 | 760 | 0.87 |
| Illinois | $48,000 | $36,930 | $75,920 | 6,390 | 1.03 |
| Indiana | $47,320 | $35,930 | $77,780 | 8,030 | 2.46 |
| Iowa | $49,330 | $37,150 | $64,970 | 3,220 | 2.02 |
| Kansas | $47,120 | $36,370 | $76,660 | 3,160 | 2.15 |
| Kentucky | $47,170 | $32,450 | $63,850 | 2,190 | 1.07 |
| Louisiana | $47,950 | $35,590 | $63,330 | 810 | 0.41 |
| Maine | $56,200 | $40,710 | $85,520 | 680 | 1.05 |
| Maryland | $55,510 | $37,210 | $104,670 | 1,010 | 0.36 |
| Massachusetts | $51,150 | $36,550 | $77,010 | 2,740 | 0.74 |
| Michigan | $44,670 | $35,630 | $67,800 | 7,050 | 1.57 |
| Minnesota | $52,210 | $40,750 | $70,460 | 3,430 | 1.14 |
| Mississippi | $53,170 | $36,190 | $73,790 | 2,010 | 1.7 |
| Missouri | $47,580 | $36,500 | $76,120 | 3,860 | 1.29 |
| Montana | $47,380 | $37,110 | $60,890 | 330 | 0.64 |
| Nebraska | $49,340 | $38,980 | $66,290 | 740 | 0.7 |
| Nevada | $45,750 | $36,460 | $82,650 | 640 | 0.4 |
| New Hampshire | $48,410 | $40,590 | $73,920 | 430 | 0.62 |
| New Jersey | $58,240 | $37,780 | $82,850 | 2,890 | 0.66 |
| New Mexico | $45,730 | $35,560 | $64,980 | 400 | 0.45 |
| New York | $48,000 | $37,510 | $77,850 | 3,270 | 0.33 |
| North Carolina | $46,730 | $35,610 | $67,730 | 5,700 | 1.13 |
| North Dakota | $51,020 | $43,630 | $75,160 | 560 | 1.28 |
| Ohio | $48,550 | $36,510 | $67,070 | 8,320 | 1.47 |
| Oklahoma | $45,780 | $35,600 | $60,990 | 2,520 | 1.45 |
| Oregon | $49,400 | $40,280 | $75,920 | 2,470 | 1.23 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,340 | $37,110 | $69,920 | 6,790 | 1.1 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,850 | $21,840 | $39,210 | 150 | 0.15 |
| Rhode Island | $49,850 | $33,280 | $71,750 | 470 | 0.91 |
| South Carolina | $48,220 | $36,200 | $69,640 | 2,780 | 1.18 |
| South Dakota | $47,980 | $37,750 | $68,290 | 1,150 | 2.47 |
| Tennessee | $47,210 | $36,400 | $63,360 | 3,880 | 1.16 |
| Texas | $46,750 | $33,790 | $78,560 | 16,600 | 1.16 |
| Utah | $47,880 | $36,610 | $68,640 | 1,740 | 0.98 |
| Vermont | $49,360 | $42,160 | $65,400 | 170 | 0.56 |
| Virginia | $49,880 | $36,160 | $71,360 | 4,130 | 0.98 |
| Washington | $59,980 | $43,830 | $108,960 | 3,980 | 1.1 |
| West Virginia | $42,950 | $31,680 | $62,840 | 370 | 0.51 |
| Wisconsin | $49,170 | $39,090 | $64,000 | 6,120 | 2.04 |
| Wyoming | $50,220 | $39,230 | $77,210 | 220 | 0.77 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 15,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
- Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
- Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
- Clean equipment and work areas.
- Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Inventory control software
- Inventory management systems
- Maintenance management software
- Materials requirement planning MRP software
- Robotic painting software
- Scheduling software
- Time recording software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Equipment Maintenance, Repairing, Coordination.
Common job titles: Automotive Painter (Auto Painter), Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech), Coater Operator, Hand Sprayer, Industrial Painter, Paint Technician (Paint Tech), Painter, Powder Coater, Spray Painter, Top Coater.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders make?
The national median annual wage for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders was $48,250 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,260 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $74,730. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders a growing career?
BLS projects employment of coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders to change +2.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 15,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($69,910), Washington ($59,980), New Jersey ($58,240). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.