Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for painting, coating, and decorating workerss 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 $45,210 ≈ $22/hr
National median salary $41,600
Total employment 7,940 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.4%
Slower than average
Annual openings 800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 8,800 → 8,900 (+100)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$64,970
- Nevada$60,550
- New York$55,690
- New Jersey$55,550
- Colorado$54,200
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Texas$35,500
- Wyoming$35,560
- South Dakota$35,710
- Mississippi$37,780
- Tennessee$38,330
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $64,970 | $61,210 | $31 | +43.7% | 90 |
| 2 | Nevada | $60,550 | $60,190 | $29 | +33.9% | — |
| 3 | New York | $55,690 | $48,510 | $27 | +23.2% | 460 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $55,550 | $52,160 | $27 | +22.9% | 90 |
| 5 | Colorado | $54,200 | $54,070 | $26 | +19.9% | 170 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $53,030 | $54,070 | $26 | +17.3% | 210 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $49,550 | $50,720 | $24 | +9.6% | 50 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $48,560 | $48,330 | $23 | +7.4% | 230 |
| 9 | Maryland | $48,380 | $47,320 | $23 | +7% | 50 |
| 10 | Virginia | $48,190 | $47,090 | $23 | +6.6% | 290 |
| 11 | Missouri | $48,180 | $48,560 | $23 | +6.6% | 140 |
| 12 | Iowa | $47,700 | $46,670 | $23 | +5.5% | 100 |
| 13 | Georgia | $47,490 | $46,310 | $23 | +5% | 60 |
| 14 | Ohio | $47,380 | $49,080 | $23 | +4.8% | 230 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $46,410 | $42,960 | $22 | +2.7% | 170 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $46,210 | $43,630 | $22 | +2.2% | 150 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $45,600 | $42,220 | $22 | +0.9% | 200 |
| 18 | California | $45,290 | $41,600 | $22 | +0.2% | — |
| 19 | Illinois | $44,760 | $41,960 | $22 | -1% | 180 |
| 20 | Idaho | $43,850 | $45,050 | $21 | -3% | — |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $43,400 | $41,660 | $21 | -4% | 180 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $42,280 | $40,310 | $20 | -6.5% | 50 |
| 23 | Utah | $41,840 | $38,430 | $20 | -7.5% | 70 |
| 24 | Florida | $41,750 | $37,440 | $20 | -7.7% | 720 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $41,260 | $43,820 | $20 | -8.7% | 140 |
| 26 | Kansas | $41,200 | $39,470 | $20 | -8.9% | 90 |
| 27 | Indiana | $41,070 | $41,350 | $20 | -9.2% | 490 |
| 28 | Michigan | $40,900 | $38,500 | $20 | -9.5% | 140 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $40,780 | $38,320 | $20 | -9.8% | 50 |
| 30 | Montana | $40,770 | $34,790 | $20 | -9.8% | 40 |
| 31 | Arizona | $40,580 | $37,030 | $20 | -10.2% | 50 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $40,250 | $36,780 | $19 | -11% | 100 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $38,330 | $35,540 | $18 | -15.2% | 200 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $37,780 | $33,330 | $18 | -16.4% | 70 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $35,710 | $31,550 | $17 | -21% | 40 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $35,560 | $37,090 | $17 | -21.3% | 60 |
| 37 | Texas | $35,500 | $32,430 | $17 | -21.5% | 550 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 43 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $72,610 | $66,300 | 180 |
| 2 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,190 | $61,420 | — |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,170 | $63,020 | 70 |
| 4 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $59,000 | $55,520 | 50 |
| 5 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $57,360 | $58,150 | 70 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $57,000 | $55,610 | 70 |
| 7 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $53,290 | $54,400 | 60 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,160 | $48,260 | 50 |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,750 | $56,600 | 60 |
| 10 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,610 | $49,140 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing painting, coating, and decorating workerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers | $80,430 | $75,280 | — |
| 2 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $71,010 | $67,680 | 130 |
| 3 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $71,010 | $67,680 | 130 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $69,310 | $72,240 | 80 |
| 5 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $69,300 | $72,260 | 80 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $67,520 | $65,970 | 240 |
| 7 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $67,520 | $65,970 | 240 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $66,830 | $65,560 | 250 |
| 9 | Specialized Design Services | $63,460 | $61,700 | 150 |
| 10 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $54,070 | $54,950 | — |
| 11 | Building Finishing Contractors | $54,070 | $55,140 | — |
| 12 | Sector 23 - Construction | $54,070 | $55,810 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do painting, coating, and decorating workers make in the U.S.?
The median painting, coating, and decorating workers salary in the United States is $41,600 per year (mean $45,210), and about 80% earn between $31,470 and $60,820.
How much do painting, coating, and decorating workers make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $45,210 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays painting, coating, and decorating workers the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for painting, coating, and decorating workers at $64,970 per year (median $61,210).
What is the job outlook for painting, coating, and decorating workers?
Employment is projected to change +1.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 800 openings per year.