Painter (Construction) Salary (2025)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2141 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Painter (Construction) salaries range from $40,446 to $61,726 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Painter (Construction) Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $61,726 | $37,161 – $93,819 | $32,487 | F | 3,678 |
| Boston, MA | $59,939 | $35,715 – $85,466 | $39,434 | F | 3,591 |
| New York, NY | $59,015 | $36,487 – $88,068 | $31,559 | F | 4,735 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $54,522 | $32,384 – $80,511 | $32,845 | F | 3,965 |
| Seattle, WA | $53,510 | $34,094 – $76,111 | $35,913 | F | 2,134 |
| Houston, TX | $52,162 | $32,609 – $79,336 | $54,335 | D | 1,449 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $49,412 | $29,905 – $70,775 | $42,967 | F | 2,462 |
| Dallas, TX | $49,222 | $29,526 – $71,503 | $48,257 | D | 2,585 |
| Portland, OR | $48,964 | $30,489 – $71,394 | $37,665 | F | 2,577 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $48,818 | $30,531 – $73,139 | $46,940 | D | 1,871 |
| Detroit, MI | $48,562 | $29,007 – $69,102 | $54,564 | D | 2,048 |
| Chicago, IL | $48,155 | $31,273 – $69,204 | $45,005 | D | 2,799 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $47,756 | $30,317 – $71,453 | $45,919 | D | 2,345 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $47,335 | $28,115 – $71,664 | $44,656 | D | 1,936 |
| Denver, CO | $46,812 | $29,806 – $70,172 | $36,572 | F | 1,873 |
| Raleigh, NC | $45,210 | $27,127 – $66,654 | $45,210 | D | 1,265 |
| Kansas City, MO | $45,081 | $28,882 – $68,040 | $47,959 | D | 1,918 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $44,577 | $27,576 – $63,830 | $43,279 | F | 2,788 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $44,041 | $26,253 – $65,464 | $47,871 | D | 1,894 |
| Charlotte, NC | $43,696 | $27,422 – $62,296 | $44,588 | D | 1,333 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $43,484 | $25,971 – $66,501 | $47,785 | D | 2,058 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $43,455 | $27,359 – $62,240 | $45,266 | D | 2,014 |
| Tampa, FL | $43,281 | $25,970 – $64,838 | $42,852 | F | 2,187 |
| Atlanta, GA | $42,935 | $26,128 – $60,876 | $40,505 | F | 2,057 |
| Columbus, OH | $42,512 | $26,681 – $63,891 | $45,712 | D | 2,160 |
| Miami, FL | $42,256 | $26,535 – $61,048 | $34,636 | F | 1,845 |
| St. Louis, MO | $42,122 | $26,715 – $62,885 | $46,802 | D | 1,932 |
| San Antonio, TX | $42,105 | $25,719 – $59,620 | $46,783 | D | 1,967 |
| Nashville, TN | $41,831 | $24,813 – $63,391 | $40,613 | F | 1,936 |
| New Orleans, LA | $40,446 | $25,573 – $56,893 | $42,575 | F | 1,465 |
About Painter (Construction) Pay
Painter (Construction)s earn a national median salary of $47,431 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $61,726 median, while New Orleans offers the lowest at $40,446.
Becoming a painter (construction) typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $37,161, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $93,819 or more. With 3% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for painter (construction)s is $47,431 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $40,446 to $61,726 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for painter (construction)s at $61,726. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and 3% wage growth over 5 years, painter (construction) offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 68,867 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a painter (construction) typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $37,161 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.