Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary in the U.S.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $41,600 a year ($20.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 7,940 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,470 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,820 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $45,210, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for painting, coating, and decorating workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,470 | $15.13 |
| 25th percentile | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| Median | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| 75th percentile | $50,360 | $24.21 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,820 | $29.24 |
| Average (mean) | $45,210 | $21.73 |
Half of painting, coating, and decorating workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,466.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,733.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,600 |
| Weekly | $800 |
| Hourly | $20.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $61,210 | 90 |
| Nevada | $60,190 | n/a |
| Colorado | $54,070 | 170 |
| Massachusetts | $54,070 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $52,160 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $50,720 | 50 |
| Ohio | $49,080 | 230 |
| Missouri | $48,560 | 140 |
| New York | $48,510 | 460 |
| Wisconsin | $48,330 | 230 |
| Maryland | $47,320 | 50 |
| Virginia | $47,090 | 290 |
| Iowa | $46,670 | 100 |
| Georgia | $46,310 | 60 |
| Idaho | $45,050 | n/a |
| South Carolina | $43,820 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $43,630 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $42,960 | 170 |
| Kentucky | $42,220 | 200 |
| Illinois | $41,960 | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,660 | 180 |
| California | $41,600 | n/a |
| Indiana | $41,350 | 490 |
| Arkansas | $40,310 | 50 |
| Kansas | $39,470 | 90 |
| Michigan | $38,500 | 140 |
| Utah | $38,430 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $38,320 | 50 |
| Florida | $37,440 | 720 |
| Wyoming | $37,090 | 60 |
| Arizona | $37,030 | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $36,780 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $35,540 | 200 |
| Montana | $34,790 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $33,330 | 70 |
| Texas | $32,430 | 550 |
| South Dakota | $31,550 | 40 |
Best-paying metro areas for painting, coating, and decorating workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $72,610 | 180 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,190 | n/a |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,170 | 70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $57,360 | 70 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $57,000 | 70 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $53,290 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,160 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,750 | 60 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,610 | 60 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $49,440 | 50 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,850 | 30 |
| Richmond, VA | $48,570 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $48,470 | 40 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $47,790 | 50 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $47,360 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most painting, coating, and decorating workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 320 | $36,540 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 190 | $32,930 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 180 | $33,830 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 180 | $72,610 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 140 | $30,710 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 130 | $37,440 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 120 | $37,170 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 100 | $42,110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 100 | $40,120 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 90 | $46,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 80 | $47,310 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 70 | $57,000 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 70 | $57,360 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 70 | $41,680 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 70 | $59,170 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9123. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a painting, coating, and decorating workers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for painting, coating, and decorating workers in the U.S. is $41,600 a year, or $20.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,470 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,820 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid painting, coating, and decorating workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of painting, coating, and decorating workers in the U.S. earn at least $60,820 a year. The top 25% earn $50,360 or more.
What is the starting pay for painting, coating, and decorating workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,470 a year, and a quarter of painting, coating, and decorating workers earn $37,030 or less.
How many painting, coating, and decorating workers work in the U.S.?
About 7,940 painting, coating, and decorating workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.