51 Series · SOC 51-9123
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $41,600
- Median / year
- $60,820
- Top 10% earn
- +1.4%
- Growth '23–'33
- 7,940
- US workers
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers earn a median of $41,600 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $41,600, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,470 (10th percentile) to $60,820 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 7,940 US workers. Washington pays the most ($61,210), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers earn a median of $41,600, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 14% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #82 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.4% by 2033.
- $41,600
- Median annual wage
- Top 86%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #82 of 105
- in Production
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $61,210. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers (SOC 51-9123) pays a national median of $41,600 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $31,470 at the 10th percentile to $60,820 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,210 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 7,940 Americans work in this occupation across 37 reporting states and 43 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $61,210, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $72,610 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$41,600
per year
Median Hourly
$20.00/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,210
average
Employment
7,940
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$41,600 Bottom 14% higher than 14% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +1.4% growth and $41,600 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.4%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
- ▸ Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
- ▸ Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.
- ▸ Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times to dry or harden finishes.
- ▸ Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
- ▸ Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.
- ▸ Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.
- ▸ Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.
- ▸ Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$31,470
25th Percentile
$37,030
Median
$41,600
75th Percentile
$50,360
90th Percentile
$60,820
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 37 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $61,210 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Nevada | $60,190 | +45% above national |
| 3 | Colorado | $54,070 | +30% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $54,070 | +30% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $52,160 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Connecticut | $50,720 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Ohio | $49,080 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Missouri | $48,560 | +17% above national |
| 9 | New York | $48,510 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $48,330 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $47,320 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Virginia | $47,090 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $46,670 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Georgia | $46,310 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Idaho | $45,050 | +8% above national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $43,820 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Minnesota | $43,630 | +5% above national |
| 18 | North Carolina | $42,960 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Kentucky | $42,220 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Illinois | $41,960 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $41,660 | same as national |
| 22 | California | $41,600 | same as national |
| 23 | Indiana | $41,350 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Arkansas | $40,310 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Kansas | $39,470 | 5% below national |
| 26 | Michigan | $38,500 | 7% below national |
| 27 | Utah | $38,430 | 8% below national |
| 28 | Louisiana | $38,320 | 8% below national |
| 29 | Florida | $37,440 | 10% below national |
| 30 | Wyoming | $37,090 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Arizona | $37,030 | 11% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $36,780 | 12% below national |
| 33 | Tennessee | $35,540 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Montana | $34,790 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Mississippi | $33,330 | 20% below national |
| 36 | Texas | $32,430 | 22% below national |
| 37 | South Dakota | $31,550 | 24% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 43 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $72,610 | +75% above national |
| 2 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,190 | +45% above national |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,170 | +42% above national |
| 4 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $59,000 | +42% above national |
| 5 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $57,360 | +38% above national |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $57,000 | +37% above national |
| 7 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $53,290 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,160 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,750 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,610 | +19% above national |
| 11 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $49,440 | +19% above national |
| 12 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $48,850 | +17% above national |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $48,570 | +17% above national |
| 14 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $48,470 | +17% above national |
| 15 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $48,320 | +16% above national |
| 16 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $47,790 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $47,360 | +14% above national |
| 18 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,310 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $46,810 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,630 | +12% above national |
| 21 | Boise City, ID | $45,060 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $43,780 | +5% above national |
| 23 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $42,510 | +2% above national |
| 24 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $42,330 | +2% above national |
| 25 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $42,300 | +2% above national |
| 26 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $42,110 | +1% above national |
| 27 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $41,680 | same as national |
| 28 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $41,600 | same as national |
| 29 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $40,240 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $40,200 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $40,120 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,220 | 8% below national |
| 33 | Rochester, NY | $37,630 | 10% below national |
| 34 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,440 | 10% below national |
| 35 | Fort Wayne, IN | $37,230 | 11% below national |
| 36 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $37,170 | 11% below national |
| 37 | Lynchburg, VA | $37,110 | 11% below national |
| 38 | Tulsa, OK | $36,780 | 12% below national |
| 39 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $36,540 | 12% below national |
| 40 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $33,830 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $32,930 | 21% below national |
| 42 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $30,710 | 26% below national |
| 43 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $27,860 | 33% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers make? ▼
What state pays Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers? ▼
Is Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers a good career? ▼
How does Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $50,360/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $61,210/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.