Painting, coating, and decorating workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,470 | $15.13 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| Mean (average) | $45,210 | $21.73 |
| 90th percentile | $60,820 | $29.24 |
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
Painting, coating, and decorating workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 37 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $37,030 | $34,410 | $46,830 | 50 | 0.31 |
| Arkansas | $40,310 | $30,860 | $52,670 | 50 | 0.72 |
| California | $41,600 | $38,270 | $57,090 | ||
| Colorado | $54,070 | $39,750 | $64,530 | 170 | 1.19 |
| Connecticut | $50,720 | $36,240 | $59,820 | 50 | 0.53 |
| Florida | $37,440 | $31,250 | $55,590 | 720 | 1.43 |
| Georgia | $46,310 | $31,210 | $65,400 | 60 | 0.24 |
| Idaho | $45,050 | $36,960 | $47,080 | ||
| Illinois | $41,960 | $31,200 | $59,500 | 180 | 0.59 |
| Indiana | $41,350 | $27,160 | $58,140 | 490 | 2.98 |
| Iowa | $46,670 | $35,040 | $61,170 | 100 | 1.32 |
| Kansas | $39,470 | $30,140 | $53,960 | 90 | 1.21 |
| Kentucky | $42,220 | $34,640 | $60,050 | 200 | 1.92 |
| Louisiana | $38,320 | $23,310 | $62,400 | 50 | 0.47 |
| Maryland | $47,320 | $34,340 | $62,680 | 50 | 0.39 |
| Massachusetts | $54,070 | $42,220 | $59,210 | 210 | 1.13 |
| Michigan | $38,500 | $28,880 | $49,550 | 140 | 0.6 |
| Minnesota | $43,630 | $32,210 | $58,400 | 150 | 1.02 |
| Mississippi | $33,330 | $29,530 | $50,740 | 70 | 1.21 |
| Missouri | $48,560 | $39,120 | $56,420 | 140 | 0.9 |
| Montana | $34,790 | $30,360 | $65,260 | 40 | 1.69 |
| Nevada | $60,190 | $47,270 | $70,280 | ||
| New Jersey | $52,160 | $42,270 | $71,880 | 90 | 0.43 |
| New York | $48,510 | $37,630 | $81,170 | 460 | 0.94 |
| North Carolina | $42,960 | $36,100 | $59,910 | 170 | 0.66 |
| Ohio | $49,080 | $32,350 | $58,140 | 230 | 0.8 |
| Oklahoma | $36,780 | $33,240 | $50,080 | 100 | 1.2 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,660 | $32,400 | $55,220 | 180 | 0.58 |
| South Carolina | $43,820 | $26,120 | $53,800 | 140 | 1.21 |
| South Dakota | $31,550 | $30,200 | $42,950 | 40 | 1.67 |
| Tennessee | $35,540 | $31,470 | $53,220 | 200 | 1.18 |
| Texas | $32,430 | $23,400 | $52,800 | 550 | 0.77 |
| Utah | $38,430 | $28,560 | $59,590 | 70 | 0.75 |
| Virginia | $47,090 | $36,640 | $62,640 | 290 | 1.4 |
| Washington | $61,210 | $45,560 | $96,600 | 90 | 0.5 |
| Wisconsin | $48,330 | $41,270 | $51,520 | 230 | 1.54 |
| Wyoming | $37,090 | $25,000 | $39,250 | 60 | 3.91 |
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 painting, coating, and decorating workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.7%.
- 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 painting, coating, and decorating workers
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- 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
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
- Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
- Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
- Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.
Technology skills
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Instructing.
Common job titles: Decaler, Decorator, Glass Decorator, Glazer, In Mold Coater, Painter, Pottery Decorator, Silk-Screen Operator, Spray Painter, Sprayer.
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 painting, coating, and decorating workers make?
The national median annual wage for painting, coating, and decorating workers was $41,600 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,470 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $60,820. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do painting, coating, and decorating workers need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential 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 painting, coating, and decorating workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of painting, coating, and decorating workers to change +1.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay painting, coating, and decorating workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($61,210), Nevada ($60,190), Colorado ($54,070). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.