Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$41,600
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$20.00
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$60,820
entry level starts ~$31,470
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 8,000 employed

How much do Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers make?

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers earn a median annual salary of $41,600 in the United States, which works out to roughly $20.00 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $31,470 at the entry level and $60,820 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,030 and $50,360 a year.

That is $19,790 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary range by percentile

Half of all Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers earn between $37,030 and $50,360 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$31,470$15.13
25th percentile (early career)$37,030$17.80
50th percentile (median)$41,600$20.00
75th percentile (experienced)$50,360$24.21
90th percentile (top earners)$60,820$29.24

Highest-paying states for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay at $61,210 a year, followed by Nevada ($60,190) and Colorado ($54,070). At the other end, South Dakota posts the lowest median at $31,550 — a gap of $29,660 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$61,210$29.43+47%
2Nevada$60,190$28.94+45%
3Colorado$54,070$26.00+30%
4Massachusetts$54,070$26.00+30%
5New Jersey$52,160$25.08+25%

Workforce and education

About 8,000 people work as Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $45,210 — 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 Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers make in the United States?
The median Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary in the United States is $41,600 per year, or about $20.00 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $31,470, while the top 10% of earners make $60,820 or more.
How does Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers median of $41,600 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers, with a median salary of $61,210 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers 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 Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers work in the United States?
About 8,000 people were employed as Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other manufacturing & production roles with similar pay.

Etchers and Engravers

$43,310
median pay · 8,000 employed

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

$54,430
median pay · 17,000 employed

Helpers--Production Workers

$39,070
median pay · 166,000 employed
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.