Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenderss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $52,620 ≈ $25/hr
National median salary $48,250
Total employment 158,740 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +0.7%
Slower than average
Annual openings 15,800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 165,500 → 166,700 (+1,200)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$68,990
- Colorado$66,000
- Alaska$64,740
- Maryland$63,900
- Maine$61,350
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$45,660
- West Virginia$46,220
- Oklahoma$47,380
- Kentucky$47,600
- Arkansas$47,720
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $68,990 | $59,980 | $33 | +31.1% | 3,980 |
| 2 | Colorado | $66,000 | $53,590 | $32 | +25.4% | 1,470 |
| 3 | Alaska | $64,740 | $69,910 | $31 | +23% | 140 |
| 4 | Maryland | $63,900 | $55,510 | $31 | +21.4% | 1,010 |
| 5 | Maine | $61,350 | $56,200 | $30 | +16.6% | 680 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $59,640 | $58,240 | $29 | +13.3% | 2,890 |
| 7 | California | $58,030 | $52,950 | $28 | +10.3% | 11,570 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $57,650 | $52,900 | $28 | +9.6% | 1,550 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $56,460 | $51,020 | $27 | +7.3% | 560 |
| 10 | Oregon | $56,290 | $49,400 | $27 | +7% | 2,470 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $56,200 | $50,220 | $27 | +6.8% | 220 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $55,840 | $52,210 | $27 | +6.1% | 3,430 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $54,900 | $49,340 | $26 | +4.3% | 740 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $54,860 | $51,990 | $26 | +4.3% | 230 |
| 15 | Virginia | $54,720 | $49,880 | $26 | +4% | 4,130 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $54,580 | $53,170 | $26 | +3.7% | 2,010 |
| 17 | Vermont | $54,320 | $49,360 | $26 | +3.2% | 170 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $54,200 | $51,150 | $26 | +3% | 2,740 |
| 19 | New York | $53,670 | $48,000 | $26 | +2% | 3,270 |
| 20 | Arizona | $53,580 | $47,860 | $26 | +1.8% | 2,440 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $53,470 | $48,410 | $26 | +1.6% | 430 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $52,400 | $48,340 | $25 | -0.4% | 6,790 |
| 23 | Illinois | $52,330 | $48,000 | $25 | -0.6% | 6,390 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $51,680 | $49,850 | $25 | -1.8% | 470 |
| 25 | Missouri | $51,370 | $47,580 | $25 | -2.4% | 3,860 |
| 26 | Florida | $51,360 | $47,860 | $25 | -2.4% | 6,200 |
| 27 | Iowa | $51,360 | $49,330 | $25 | -2.4% | 3,220 |
| 28 | Nevada | $51,330 | $45,750 | $25 | -2.5% | 640 |
| 29 | Texas | $51,240 | $46,750 | $25 | -2.6% | 16,600 |
| 30 | Indiana | $51,210 | $47,320 | $25 | -2.7% | 8,030 |
| 31 | Ohio | $51,180 | $48,550 | $25 | -2.7% | 8,320 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $51,080 | $49,170 | $25 | -2.9% | 6,120 |
| 33 | Georgia | $50,940 | $46,450 | $24 | -3.2% | 5,900 |
| 34 | Utah | $50,730 | $47,880 | $24 | -3.6% | 1,740 |
| 35 | Delaware | $50,430 | $46,120 | $24 | -4.2% | 100 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $50,320 | $48,220 | $24 | -4.4% | 2,780 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $50,140 | $47,950 | $24 | -4.7% | 810 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $49,840 | $47,210 | $24 | -5.3% | 3,880 |
| 39 | Kansas | $49,750 | $47,120 | $24 | -5.5% | 3,160 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $49,640 | $47,980 | $24 | -5.7% | 1,150 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $49,570 | $46,730 | $24 | -5.8% | 5,700 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $49,360 | $45,730 | $24 | -6.2% | 400 |
| 43 | Montana | $48,980 | $47,380 | $24 | -6.9% | 330 |
| 44 | Michigan | $48,910 | $44,670 | $24 | -7.1% | 7,050 |
| 45 | Idaho | $48,620 | $45,810 | $23 | -7.6% | 760 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $47,720 | $46,380 | $23 | -9.3% | 1,870 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $47,600 | $47,170 | $23 | -9.5% | 2,190 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $47,380 | $45,780 | $23 | -10% | 2,520 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $46,220 | $42,950 | $22 | -12.2% | 370 |
| 50 | Alabama | $45,660 | $44,250 | $22 | -13.2% | 5,250 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 457 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $82,360 | $67,970 | 340 |
| 2 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $81,620 | $80,570 | 60 |
| 3 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $69,600 | $68,630 | 70 |
| 4 | Ames, IA | $69,090 | $62,040 | 60 |
| 5 | Springfield, OH | $67,070 | $56,980 | 110 |
| 6 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $66,670 | $64,660 | 30 |
| 7 | Lexington Park, MD | $66,570 | $68,760 | 40 |
| 8 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $63,400 | $55,050 | 680 |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $63,360 | $71,800 | 270 |
| 10 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $63,180 | $59,110 | 700 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenderss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scheduled Air Transportation | $103,580 | $103,440 | 60 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $95,440 | $87,050 | 270 |
| 3 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $95,440 | $85,180 | 290 |
| 4 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $95,440 | $88,190 | 260 |
| 5 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $95,440 | $87,630 | 270 |
| 6 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $95,440 | $87,050 | 270 |
| 7 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $82,850 | $80,270 | — |
| 8 | Air Transportation | $77,420 | $86,450 | 110 |
| 9 | Testing Laboratories and Services | $77,390 | $73,530 | 40 |
| 10 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $73,840 | $73,170 | 410 |
| 11 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $67,810 | $70,670 | 6,680 |
| 12 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $67,040 | $66,590 | 130 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders salary in the United States is $48,250 per year (mean $52,620), and about 80% earn between $36,260 and $74,730.
How much do coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders make per hour?
Roughly $25 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $52,620 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders at $68,990 per year (median $59,980).
What is the job outlook for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Employment is projected to change +0.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 15,800 openings per year.