Salary Outlook
The average painter raked in a little more than $35,000 in 2011, or approximately $17.04 per hour. The highest-paid took home about $60,170, while the lowest-paid earned $23,170 in that same period. The motion picture and video and electric power generation, transmission, and distribution industries compensate painters best. Some of the highest-earning metropolitan areas in the profession are in Illinois—Kankakee, Champaign, and Chicago among them.
| Job Salary | Year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $34,090.00 |
| 2004 | $32,930.00 |
| 2006 | $33,660.00 |
| 2008 | $35,580.00 |
| 2010 | $36,480.00 |
Average Painter Pay vs. All Construction Jobs
Painting jobs pay less than several other construction jobs. Painters earned a modest $35,430 in 2011, a distant cry from what carpenters, cost estimators, electricians, and plumbers earned. Construction laborers made slightly less than painters, taking in $29,730 last year.
| Job Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Cost Estimator | $58,460.00 |
| Electrician | $49,320.00 |
| Plumber | $47,750.00 |
| Carpenter | $40,010.00 |
| Painter | $35,430.00 |
| Construction Worker | $29,730.00 |
See Complete List of Best Construction Jobs
Best Paying Cities for Painters
The highest paid in the painter profession work in the metropolitan areas of Kankakee, IL, Fairbanks, AK, and Champaign, IL. The Nassau, NY area also pays well, as does the city of Newark, NJ.
Kankakee, IL
Average Salary: $69,880 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a painter working in Kankakee, IL is $69,880, which is $34,450 more than the average pay in the profession.
Fairbanks, AK
Average Salary: $64,340 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a painter working in Fairbanks, AK is $64,340, which is $28,910 more than the average pay in the profession.
Champaign, IL
Average Salary: $59,790 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a painter working in Champaign, IL is $59,790, which is $24,360 more than the average pay in the profession.
Nassau, NY
Average Salary: $57,790 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a painter working in Nassau, NY is $57,790, which is $22,360 more than the average pay in the profession.
Newark, NJ
Average Salary: $54,990 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a painter working in Newark, NJ is $54,990, which is $19,560 more than the average pay in the profession.
