Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for painting, coating, and decorating workers is $41,600, or $20.00 per hour. About 7,940 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $61,210 in Washington to $31,550 in South Dakota.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 37 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $61,210 | $29.43 | 90 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Nevada | $60,190 | $28.94 | — | — |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $54,070 | $26.00 | 210 | 1.13 |
| 4 | Colorado | $54,070 | $25.99 | 170 | 1.19 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $52,160 | $25.08 | 90 | 0.43 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $50,720 | $24.38 | 50 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Ohio | $49,080 | $23.60 | 230 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Missouri | $48,560 | $23.34 | 140 | 0.90 |
| 9 | New York | $48,510 | $23.32 | 460 | 0.94 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $48,330 | $23.24 | 230 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Maryland | $47,320 | $22.75 | 50 | 0.39 |
| 12 | Virginia | $47,090 | $22.64 | 290 | 1.40 |
| 13 | Iowa | $46,670 | $22.44 | 100 | 1.32 |
| 14 | Georgia | $46,310 | $22.27 | 60 | 0.24 |
| 15 | Idaho | $45,050 | $21.66 | — | — |
| 16 | South Carolina | $43,820 | $21.07 | 140 | 1.21 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $43,630 | $20.98 | 150 | 1.02 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $42,960 | $20.66 | 170 | 0.66 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $42,220 | $20.30 | 200 | 1.92 |
| 20 | Illinois | $41,960 | $20.18 | 180 | 0.59 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $41,660 | $20.03 | 180 | 0.58 |
| 22 | California | $41,600 | $20.00 | — | — |
| 23 | Indiana | $41,350 | $19.88 | 490 | 2.98 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $40,310 | $19.38 | 50 | 0.72 |
| 25 | Kansas | $39,470 | $18.97 | 90 | 1.21 |
| 26 | Michigan | $38,500 | $18.51 | 140 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Utah | $38,430 | $18.48 | 70 | 0.75 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $38,320 | $18.42 | 50 | 0.47 |
| 29 | Florida | $37,440 | $18.00 | 720 | 1.43 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $37,090 | $17.83 | 60 | 3.91 |
| 31 | Arizona | $37,030 | $17.80 | 50 | 0.31 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $36,780 | $17.68 | 100 | 1.20 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $35,540 | $17.09 | 200 | 1.18 |
| 34 | Montana | $34,790 | $16.72 | 40 | 1.69 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $33,330 | $16.03 | 70 | 1.21 |
| 36 | Texas | $32,430 | $15.59 | 550 | 0.77 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $31,550 | $15.17 | 40 | 1.67 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do painting, coating, and decorating workers make?
The median annual wage for painting, coating, and decorating workers in the United States is $41,600, or $20.00 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $31,470, and the top 10% earn $60,820.
How many painting, coating, and decorating workers are employed in the U.S.?
About 7,940 people work as painting, coating, and decorating workers nationwide.
Which state pays painting, coating, and decorating workers the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $61,210, followed by Nevada ($60,190) and Massachusetts ($54,070).
Which state pays painting, coating, and decorating workers the least?
South Dakota has the lowest median at $31,550.
Where are painting, coating, and decorating workers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Wyoming at 3.91×.