Average Salary for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
SOC 51-9123 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in the United States is $40,860 ($19.64/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $28,490 at the 10th percentile to $62,770 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 8,470 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 42.1% since 2014.
Median Annual
$40,860
Mean Annual
$44,130
10th Pct
$28,490
75th Pct
$50,700
Employment
8,470
Salary Distribution
$28k
10th
$35k
25th
$41k
Median
$51k
75th
$63k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,620 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,270 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $56,120 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $54,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $52,860 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $52,170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $50,620 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $50,590 |
| Vineland, NJ | $50,450 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,400 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $50,290 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $50,000 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,950 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $49,730 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $48,750 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New York | $68,140 |
| Washington | $61,270 |
| Massachusetts | $52,320 |
| Illinois | $51,270 |
| New Jersey | $50,700 |
| Georgia | $48,940 |
| Kentucky | $47,630 |
| Virginia | $46,190 |
| Maryland | $45,910 |
| New Hampshire | $45,410 |
| Iowa | $45,390 |
| Nebraska | $45,350 |
| Kansas | $45,160 |
| Missouri | $45,120 |
| North Carolina | $45,080 |
| Indiana | $44,730 |
| California | $44,420 |
| Ohio | $44,380 |
| Colorado | $44,090 |
| South Carolina | $43,920 |
| Alabama | $42,620 |
| Utah | $42,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,600 |
| Wisconsin | $39,950 |
| Minnesota | $38,650 |
| Arkansas | $38,560 |
| Oklahoma | $38,300 |
| Michigan | $37,550 |
| Louisiana | $37,140 |
| South Dakota | $36,810 |
| Connecticut | $36,200 |
| Arizona | $35,790 |
| Mississippi | $35,710 |
| Florida | $35,710 |
| Tennessee | $35,620 |
| Texas | $28,570 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Specialized Design Services | $78,620 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $69,040 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $68,740 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $66,850 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,580 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,580 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,460 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $64,460 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $59,090 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $54,860 |
| Construction | $53,620 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $53,570 |
| Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $52,980 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | $49,460 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $49,420 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $47,960 |
| Machine Shops | $47,900 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $47,900 |
| Ship and Boat Building | $47,790 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | $47,390 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $47,390 |
| Retail Trade | $47,050 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $46,610 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $46,610 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $45,380 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $45,380 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $44,930 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $44,930 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $44,890 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $44,650 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $44,620 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $44,080 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $44,050 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | $43,950 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $43,770 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $43,770 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,340 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $42,000 |
| Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair | $41,530 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $41,400 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $41,320 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $41,220 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | $40,970 |
| Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | $40,970 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | $40,860 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | $40,860 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $40,430 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $40,430 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | $40,280 |
| Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | $39,460 |
| Manufacturing | $39,440 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $39,110 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $38,940 |
| Textile Product Mills | $38,690 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | $38,690 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $38,300 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $38,280 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $37,740 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $37,740 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $37,520 |
| Social Assistance | $37,520 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $37,320 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $37,320 |
| Wholesale Trade | $37,140 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $36,930 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $36,930 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $36,810 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $36,810 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $36,430 |
| Temporary Help Services | $36,380 |
| Employment Services | $36,380 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | $35,790 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | $35,100 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $35,090 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $34,800 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $34,490 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $34,250 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $33,410 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $32,600 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $32,360 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $31,660 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $29,780 |
| Food Manufacturing | $29,770 |
| Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | $28,490 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $20,080 |
| Foundries | $19,340 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $40,860 |
| 2023 | $40,230 |
| 2022 | $38,270 |
| 2021 | $37,330 |
| 2020 | $34,780 |
| 2019 | $32,950 |
| 2018 | $31,050 |
| 2017 | $30,820 |
| 2016 | $30,030 |
| 2015 | $29,270 |
| 2014 | $28,750 |