Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$48,250
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$23.20
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$74,730
entry level starts ~$36,260
Pay Grade
C+
modest pay · 159,000 employed

How much do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median annual salary of $48,250 in the United States, which works out to roughly $23.20 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $36,260 at the entry level and $74,730 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $40,590 and $59,680 a year.

That is $13,140 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary range by percentile

Half of all Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn between $40,590 and $59,680 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$36,260$17.43
25th percentile (early career)$40,590$19.51
50th percentile (median)$48,250$23.20
75th percentile (experienced)$59,680$28.69
90th percentile (top earners)$74,730$35.93

Highest-paying states for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Alaska leads the country for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay at $69,910 a year, followed by Washington ($59,980) and New Jersey ($58,240). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $42,950 — a gap of $26,960 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Alaska$69,910$33.61+45%
2Washington$59,980$28.84+24%
3New Jersey$58,240$28.00+21%
4Maine$56,200$27.02+16%
5Maryland$55,510$26.69+15%

Workforce and education

About 159,000 people work as Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $52,620 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make in the United States?
The median Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in the United States is $48,250 per year, or about $23.20 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $36,260, while the top 10% of earners make $74,730 or more.
How does Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C+ (modest pay), the Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders median of $48,250 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
Alaska is the highest-paying state for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, with a median salary of $69,910 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders work in the United States?
About 159,000 people were employed as Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.