Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (SOC 51-9124) earn a median $48,250 a year ($23.20 an hour) in the United States, with 158,740 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders do
Coating, painting, and spraying machine operators run spraying or rolling equipment that applies lacquer, enamel, primer, or other finishes to products such as glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, and wood. Painters of transportation vehicles, including those who work in auto body repair facilities, are part of the occupation. The operator fills hoppers, reservoirs, or pans with the coating material, holds or positions spray guns to direct the spray at articles, and sprays prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primer or finish. Flaws such as blisters or streaks are watched for and their causes corrected. Sprayers and power equipment are taken apart, cleaned with solvents, wire brushes, and cloths, and put back together, and hazardous waste is disposed of properly. Rust-resistant undercoats may be applied and seams caulked and sealed. Plating machine operators are excluded, and hand painters of manufactured articles, who work with brushes and airbrushes, are in a different occupation, and construction painters have another.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Abrasive Coating Machine Operator, Abrasive Coating Machine Setup Operator, Air Drier, Air Drier Machine Operator, Aircraft Painter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.43 | $19.52 | $23.20 | $28.69 | $35.93 | $25.30 | 158,740 |
| Annual | $36,260 | $40,590 | $48,250 | $59,680 | $74,730 | $52,620 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $16.75 | $21.73 | $33.61 | $39.23 | $44.39 | $31.12 | 140 | 0.43 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $34,850 | $45,210 | $69,910 | $81,610 | $92,340 | $64,740 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.07 | $22.98 | $28.84 | $37.86 | $52.39 | $33.17 | 3,980 | 1.12 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $43,830 | $47,790 | $59,980 | $78,740 | $108,960 | $68,990 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $18.16 | $22.75 | $28.00 | $36.79 | $39.83 | $28.68 | 2,890 | 0.67 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $37,780 | $47,320 | $58,240 | $76,530 | $82,850 | $59,640 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $19.57 | $22.80 | $27.02 | $31.12 | $41.12 | $29.49 | 680 | 1.07 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $40,710 | $47,430 | $56,200 | $64,720 | $85,520 | $61,350 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $17.89 | $21.73 | $26.69 | $40.27 | $50.32 | $30.72 | 1,010 | 0.36 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $37,210 | $45,210 | $55,510 | $83,760 | $104,670 | $63,900 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.25 | $18.33 | $22.48 | $27.97 | $37.77 | $24.64 | 16,600 | 1.18 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $38,130 | $46,750 | $58,170 | $78,560 | $51,240 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.69 | $21.08 | $25.46 | $33.12 | $39.73 | $27.90 | 11,570 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $36,790 | $43,840 | $52,950 | $68,890 | $82,640 | $58,030 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.55 | $20.49 | $23.34 | $27.86 | $32.25 | $24.61 | 8,320 | 1.50 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $42,630 | $48,550 | $57,940 | $67,070 | $51,180 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $17.27 | $18.70 | $22.75 | $28.49 | $37.39 | $24.62 | 8,030 | 2.51 | 2.46 |
| Annual | $35,930 | $38,890 | $47,320 | $59,270 | $77,780 | $51,210 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $17.13 | $18.42 | $21.48 | $25.64 | $32.60 | $23.51 | 7,050 | 1.60 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $35,630 | $38,300 | $44,670 | $53,340 | $67,800 | $48,910 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | Hourly | $18.25 | $26.64 | $33.46 | $35.97 | $47.76 | $32.99 | 70 | 0.53 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $37,960 | $55,400 | $69,600 | $74,830 | $99,330 | $68,630 | ||||
| Ames, IA | Hourly | $19.39 | $24.67 | $33.22 | $33.22 | $33.22 | $29.83 | 60 | 1.06 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $40,340 | $51,310 | $69,090 | $69,090 | $69,090 | $62,040 | ||||
| Springfield, OH | Hourly | $17.17 | $21.26 | $32.25 | $32.25 | $32.25 | $27.40 | 110 | 2.49 | 2.44 |
| Annual | $35,710 | $44,210 | $67,070 | $67,070 | $67,070 | $56,980 | ||||
| Lexington Park, MD | Hourly | $18.79 | $21.82 | $32.00 | $43.80 | $43.81 | $33.06 | 40 | 0.61 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $39,070 | $45,390 | $66,570 | $91,100 | $91,130 | $68,760 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $19.51 | $22.95 | $30.46 | $45.31 | $56.26 | $34.52 | 270 | 0.68 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $40,580 | $47,740 | $63,360 | $94,250 | $117,020 | $71,800 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.38 | $18.86 | $23.73 | $34.02 | $41.00 | $27.51 | 5,050 | 1.25 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,060 | $39,220 | $49,350 | $70,760 | $85,280 | $57,220 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $16.45 | $18.52 | $22.57 | $27.61 | $29.56 | $23.55 | 4,590 | 1.40 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $34,210 | $38,520 | $46,950 | $57,430 | $61,480 | $48,990 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.53 | $20.30 | $26.38 | $33.12 | $39.57 | $27.78 | 4,580 | 0.73 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $36,470 | $42,220 | $54,870 | $68,890 | $82,310 | $57,780 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.63 | $20.65 | $23.51 | $28.96 | $37.93 | $26.55 | 3,680 | 0.82 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $36,670 | $42,950 | $48,910 | $60,230 | $78,890 | $55,230 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.91 | $23.04 | $28.14 | $37.49 | $39.83 | $29.77 | 3,250 | 0.34 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $39,320 | $47,920 | $58,520 | $77,990 | $82,850 | $61,920 | ||||
Top industries employing coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
Automotive Repair and Maintenance employ 17.2% of coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders nationally (27,290 jobs) at a median $56,570 a year ($27.20 an hour), followed by Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (10.4%) and Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) (7.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811100 | 27,290 | 17.2% | $56,570 | $27.20 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities NAICS 332800 | 16,500 | 10.4% | $45,100 | $21.68 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) NAICS 3320A2 | 11,470 | 7.2% | $46,640 | $22.42 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) NAICS 3330A1 | 11,340 | 7.1% | $47,730 | $22.95 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400 | 6,680 | 4.2% | $67,810 | $32.60 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (158,740). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $39,130 for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in May 2021 and $48,250 in May 2025, with employment of 145,410 and 158,740.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $39,130 | $18.81 | 145,410 |
| May 2022 | $43,960 | $21.14 | 152,120 |
| May 2023 | $45,560 | $21.90 | 155,880 |
| May 2024 | $47,590 | $22.88 | 159,500 |
| May 2025 | $48,250 | $23.20 | 158,740 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $33.61 | $69,910 | $34,850 | $92,340 | 140 | 0.43 | 0.43 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $28.84 | $59,980 | $43,830 | $108,960 | 3,980 | 1.12 | 1.10 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $37,780 | $82,850 | 2,890 | 0.67 | 0.66 |
| 4 | Maine profile | $27.02 | $56,200 | $40,710 | $85,520 | 680 | 1.07 | 1.05 |
| 5 | Maryland profile | $26.69 | $55,510 | $37,210 | $104,670 | 1,010 | 0.36 | 0.36 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $25.76 | $53,590 | $39,150 | $101,670 | 1,470 | 0.51 | 0.50 |
| 7 | Mississippi profile | $25.56 | $53,170 | $36,190 | $73,790 | 2,010 | 1.73 | 1.70 |
| 8 | California profile | $25.46 | $52,950 | $36,790 | $82,640 | 11,570 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $25.43 | $52,900 | $38,460 | $79,050 | 1,550 | 0.92 | 0.90 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $25.10 | $52,210 | $40,750 | $70,460 | 3,430 | 1.16 | 1.14 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $24.99 | $51,990 | $39,520 | $69,570 | 230 | 0.36 | 0.35 |
| 12 | Massachusetts profile | $24.59 | $51,150 | $36,550 | $77,010 | 2,740 | 0.75 | 0.74 |
| 13 | North Dakota profile | $24.53 | $51,020 | $43,630 | $75,160 | 560 | 1.31 | 1.28 |
| 14 | Wyoming profile | $24.14 | $50,220 | $39,230 | $77,210 | 220 | 0.78 | 0.77 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $23.98 | $49,880 | $36,160 | $71,360 | 4,130 | 1.01 | 0.98 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $23.97 | $49,850 | $33,280 | $71,750 | 470 | 0.93 | 0.91 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $23.75 | $49,400 | $40,280 | $75,920 | 2,470 | 1.25 | 1.23 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $23.73 | $49,360 | $42,160 | $65,400 | 170 | 0.57 | 0.56 |
| 19 | Nebraska profile | $23.72 | $49,340 | $38,980 | $66,290 | 740 | 0.72 | 0.70 |
| 20 | Iowa profile | $23.72 | $49,330 | $37,150 | $64,970 | 3,220 | 2.07 | 2.02 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $23.64 | $49,170 | $39,090 | $64,000 | 6,120 | 2.08 | 2.04 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $23.34 | $48,550 | $36,510 | $67,070 | 8,320 | 1.50 | 1.47 |
| 23 | New Hampshire profile | $23.27 | $48,410 | $40,590 | $73,920 | 430 | 0.63 | 0.62 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.24 | $48,340 | $37,110 | $69,920 | 6,790 | 1.12 | 1.10 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | $23.18 | $48,220 | $36,200 | $69,640 | 2,780 | 1.21 | 1.18 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $23.08 | $48,000 | $36,930 | $75,920 | 6,390 | 1.05 | 1.03 |
| 27 | New York profile | $23.08 | $48,000 | $37,510 | $77,850 | 3,270 | 0.34 | 0.33 |
| 28 | South Dakota profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $37,750 | $68,290 | 1,150 | 2.52 | 2.47 |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $23.05 | $47,950 | $35,590 | $63,330 | 810 | 0.42 | 0.41 |
| 30 | Utah profile | $23.02 | $47,880 | $36,610 | $68,640 | 1,740 | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $23.01 | $47,860 | $34,360 | $84,510 | 2,440 | 0.75 | 0.74 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $23.01 | $47,860 | $35,950 | $71,330 | 6,200 | 0.62 | 0.61 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $22.88 | $47,580 | $36,500 | $76,120 | 3,860 | 1.32 | 1.29 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $22.78 | $47,380 | $37,110 | $60,890 | 330 | 0.65 | 0.64 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $35,930 | $77,780 | 8,030 | 2.51 | 2.46 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $36,400 | $63,360 | 3,880 | 1.19 | 1.16 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $32,450 | $63,850 | 2,190 | 1.09 | 1.07 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | $22.66 | $47,120 | $36,370 | $76,660 | 3,160 | 2.20 | 2.15 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $22.48 | $46,750 | $33,790 | $78,560 | 16,600 | 1.18 | 1.16 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $22.47 | $46,730 | $35,610 | $67,730 | 5,700 | 1.15 | 1.13 |
| 41 | Georgia profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $35,530 | $69,970 | 5,900 | 1.21 | 1.18 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $34,910 | $61,950 | 1,870 | 1.44 | 1.41 |
| 43 | Delaware profile | $22.17 | $46,120 | $31,550 | $75,780 | 100 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| 44 | Idaho profile | $22.03 | $45,810 | $36,690 | $63,780 | 760 | 0.89 | 0.87 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $22.01 | $45,780 | $35,600 | $60,990 | 2,520 | 1.48 | 1.45 |
| 46 | Nevada profile | $21.99 | $45,750 | $36,460 | $82,650 | 640 | 0.41 | 0.40 |
| 47 | New Mexico profile | $21.99 | $45,730 | $35,560 | $64,980 | 400 | 0.46 | 0.45 |
| 48 | Michigan profile | $21.48 | $44,670 | $35,630 | $67,800 | 7,050 | 1.60 | 1.57 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $21.27 | $44,250 | $31,200 | $60,920 | 5,250 | 2.49 | 2.43 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $20.65 | $42,950 | $31,680 | $62,840 | 370 | 0.52 | 0.51 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9124 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9124, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9124.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.