The average wage for a professional painter in the United States is around $7.96 per hour.
Avg Wage
Professional painters earn an average hourly wage of $7.96.
Salaries typically start from $5.94 per hour and go up to $10.68 per hour.
74% below national average Updated in 2023
Professional painter earnings by seniority
Top-level professional painter earnings begin at:
$10.68 per hour
$22,213 per year
Senior-level professional painter earnings begin at:
$9.29 per hour
$19,330 per year
Mid-level professional painter earnings begin at:
$7.96 per hour
$16,564 per year
Junior-level professional painter earnings begin at:
$6.82 per hour
$14,194 per year
Starting level professional painter earnings begin at:
$5.94 per hour
$12,352 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Professional painter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $74,270 |
| District of Columbia | $60,560 |
| Nevada | $47,250 |
| Mississippi | $47,150 |
| Georgia | $41,270 |
| Kansas | $39,150 |
| California | $38,740 |
| New Hampshire | $38,580 |
| Washington | $38,580 |
| Minnesota | $38,370 |
| Montana | $38,370 |
| New Jersey | $37,920 |
| New York | $37,800 |
| Ohio | $37,630 |
| Tennessee | $37,630 |
| Virginia | $37,630 |
| South Dakota | $37,620 |
| Arizona | $37,550 |
| Iowa | $37,550 |
| Massachusetts | $37,550 |
| Missouri | $37,550 |
| Illinois | $37,460 |
| Oregon | $37,460 |
| North Carolina | $37,270 |
| Oklahoma | $37,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,270 |
| Indiana | $36,360 |
| Nebraska | $36,360 |
| Wisconsin | $36,360 |
| Kentucky | $36,260 |
| Colorado | $35,910 |
| South Carolina | $35,870 |
| Utah | $35,300 |
| Maine | $35,270 |
| Alabama | $34,510 |
| Vermont | $34,450 |
| Maryland | $32,850 |
| Connecticut | $32,140 |
| Rhode Island | $31,410 |
| Idaho | $30,690 |
| Florida | $30,680 |
| Michigan | $30,310 |
| Arkansas | $30,070 |
| Hawaii | $29,470 |
| Texas | $28,990 |
| West Virginia | $28,990 |
| North Dakota | $24,000 |
| New Mexico | $23,960 |
| Louisiana | $23,930 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,230 |
How do professional painter salaries compare to similar careers?
Professional painters earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than cement masons but more than metal workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Cement mason salary | $18K |
| HVAC technician salary | $17K |
| Printing worker salary | $18K |
| Barista salary | $18K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $17K |
| Professional painter salary | $17K |
| Florist salary | $16K |
| Delivery service driver salary | $15K |
| Garbage collector salary | $15K |
| Metal worker salary | $15K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)