Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers (SOC 51-9123) earn a median $41,600 a year ($20.00 an hour) in the United States, with 7,940 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What painting, coating, and decorating workers do
Painting, coating, and decorating workers apply paint, ink, lacquer, and other finishes by hand or with hand-held equipment, to protect or decorate manufactured articles. Their products include furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, and leather goods. They read job orders and inspect the workpiece to decide on procedures and materials, then apply coatings using spray guns, pens, or brushes. The finished surface is examined to verify it matches specifications, and defective areas are retouched. The coating is applied by hand or with hand-held equipment rather than by machine, which separates this work from coating, painting, and spraying machine operators. Tools are cleaned and maintained with solvents, brushes, and rags. Artists and related workers, designers, photographic process workers and processing machine operators, and etchers and engravers are excluded, and each has its own classification.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, less than a high school diploma is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Air Brush Decorator, Air Brush Operator, Airbrush Painter, Art Gilder, Babbitter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.13 | $17.80 | $20.00 | $24.21 | $29.24 | $21.73 | 7,940 |
| Annual | $31,470 | $37,030 | $41,600 | $50,360 | $60,820 | $45,210 | ||
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 painting, coating, and decorating workers 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.90 | $23.51 | $29.43 | $37.40 | $46.44 | $31.24 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $45,560 | $48,890 | $61,210 | $77,780 | $96,600 | $64,970 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $22.73 | $25.39 | $28.94 | $31.22 | $33.79 | $29.11 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $47,270 | $52,800 | $60,190 | $64,940 | $70,280 | $60,550 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $19.11 | $22.27 | $25.99 | $29.45 | $31.03 | $26.06 | 170 | 0.06 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $39,750 | $46,330 | $54,070 | $61,250 | $64,530 | $54,200 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $20.30 | $24.36 | $26.00 | $26.69 | $28.47 | $25.49 | 210 | 0.06 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $42,220 | $50,670 | $54,070 | $55,510 | $59,210 | $53,030 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $20.32 | $23.26 | $25.08 | $30.31 | $34.56 | $26.71 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $42,270 | $48,390 | $52,160 | $63,050 | $71,880 | $55,550 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.02 | $17.24 | $18.00 | $22.19 | $26.73 | $20.07 | 720 | 0.07 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $31,250 | $35,850 | $37,440 | $46,140 | $55,590 | $41,750 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.25 | $13.22 | $15.59 | $19.64 | $25.39 | $17.07 | 550 | 0.04 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $23,400 | $27,500 | $32,430 | $40,850 | $52,800 | $35,500 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $13.06 | $14.82 | $19.88 | $22.67 | $27.95 | $19.74 | 490 | 0.15 | 2.98 |
| Annual | $27,160 | $30,830 | $41,350 | $47,150 | $58,140 | $41,070 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.09 | $19.33 | $23.32 | $33.68 | $39.02 | $26.77 | 460 | 0.05 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $37,630 | $40,200 | $48,510 | $70,050 | $81,170 | $55,690 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $17.62 | $18.25 | $22.64 | $27.33 | $30.12 | $23.17 | 290 | 0.07 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $36,640 | $37,960 | $47,090 | $56,840 | $62,640 | $48,190 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.00 | $22.62 | $34.91 | $39.02 | $39.02 | $31.87 | 180 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $43,670 | $47,060 | $72,610 | $81,170 | $81,170 | $66,300 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $25.38 | $28.94 | $28.94 | $31.22 | $33.51 | $29.53 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $52,800 | $60,190 | $60,190 | $64,940 | $69,700 | $61,420 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $21.90 | $23.51 | $28.45 | $37.39 | $42.06 | $30.30 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $45,560 | $48,890 | $59,170 | $77,780 | $87,480 | $63,020 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $20.75 | $22.85 | $27.58 | $30.00 | $33.24 | $27.96 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $43,170 | $47,520 | $57,360 | $62,390 | $69,130 | $58,150 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $21.42 | $23.02 | $27.40 | $29.60 | $32.00 | $26.74 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $44,550 | $47,880 | $57,000 | $61,570 | $66,560 | $55,610 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $15.05 | $17.57 | $17.57 | $21.00 | $24.27 | $19.36 | 320 | 0.12 | 2.24 |
| Annual | $31,300 | $36,540 | $36,540 | $43,680 | $50,490 | $40,270 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $11.63 | $13.22 | $15.83 | $19.64 | $26.47 | $17.71 | 190 | 0.05 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $24,190 | $27,500 | $32,930 | $40,850 | $55,050 | $36,830 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $14.82 | $15.00 | $16.27 | $23.26 | $30.81 | $21.04 | 180 | 0.04 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $30,830 | $31,200 | $33,830 | $48,380 | $64,090 | $43,760 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.00 | $22.62 | $34.91 | $39.02 | $39.02 | $31.87 | 180 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $43,670 | $47,060 | $72,610 | $81,170 | $81,170 | $66,300 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $11.25 | $13.80 | $14.77 | $17.83 | $24.65 | $16.66 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $23,400 | $28,710 | $30,710 | $37,090 | $51,280 | $34,660 | ||||
Top industries employing painting, coating, and decorating workers
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing employ 12.3% of painting, coating, and decorating workers nationally (980 jobs) at a median $45,560 a year ($21.90 an hour), followed by Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (6.3%) and Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (5.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 980 | 12.3% | $45,560 | $21.90 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000 | 500 | 6.3% | $46,660 | $22.44 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing NAICS 311800 | 450 | 5.7% | $35,680 | $17.15 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities NAICS 332800 | 350 | 4.4% | $40,200 | $19.33 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 330 | 4.2% | $42,520 | $20.44 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (7,940). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,330 for painting, coating, and decorating workers in May 2021 and $41,600 in May 2025, with employment of 11,850 and 7,940.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,330 | $17.95 | 11,850 |
| May 2022 | $38,270 | $18.40 | 11,990 |
| May 2023 | $40,230 | $19.34 | 10,700 |
| May 2024 | $40,860 | $19.64 | 8,470 |
| May 2025 | $41,600 | $20.00 | 7,940 |
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
37 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 | Washington profile | $29.43 | $61,210 | $45,560 | $96,600 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $28.94 | $60,190 | $47,270 | $70,280 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Colorado profile | $25.99 | $54,070 | $39,750 | $64,530 | 170 | 0.06 | 1.19 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $26.00 | $54,070 | $42,220 | $59,210 | 210 | 0.06 | 1.13 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $25.08 | $52,160 | $42,270 | $71,880 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.43 |
| 6 | Connecticut profile | $24.38 | $50,720 | $36,240 | $59,820 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Ohio profile | $23.60 | $49,080 | $32,350 | $58,140 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Missouri profile | $23.34 | $48,560 | $39,120 | $56,420 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.90 |
| 9 | New York profile | $23.32 | $48,510 | $37,630 | $81,170 | 460 | 0.05 | 0.94 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | $23.24 | $48,330 | $41,270 | $51,520 | 230 | 0.08 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $34,340 | $62,680 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.39 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $22.64 | $47,090 | $36,640 | $62,640 | 290 | 0.07 | 1.40 |
| 13 | Iowa profile | $22.44 | $46,670 | $35,040 | $61,170 | 100 | 0.07 | 1.32 |
| 14 | Georgia profile | $22.27 | $46,310 | $31,210 | $65,400 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| 15 | Idaho profile | $21.66 | $45,050 | $36,960 | $47,080 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | South Carolina profile | $21.07 | $43,820 | $26,120 | $53,800 | 140 | 0.06 | 1.21 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | $20.98 | $43,630 | $32,210 | $58,400 | 150 | 0.05 | 1.02 |
| 18 | North Carolina profile | $20.66 | $42,960 | $36,100 | $59,910 | 170 | 0.03 | 0.66 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $20.30 | $42,220 | $34,640 | $60,050 | 200 | 0.10 | 1.92 |
| 20 | Illinois profile | $20.18 | $41,960 | $31,200 | $59,500 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.59 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.03 | $41,660 | $32,400 | $55,220 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.58 |
| 22 | California profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $38,270 | $57,090 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Indiana profile | $19.88 | $41,350 | $27,160 | $58,140 | 490 | 0.15 | 2.98 |
| 24 | Arkansas profile | $19.38 | $40,310 | $30,860 | $52,670 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.72 |
| 25 | Kansas profile | $18.97 | $39,470 | $30,140 | $53,960 | 90 | 0.06 | 1.21 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $18.51 | $38,500 | $28,880 | $49,550 | 140 | 0.03 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Utah profile | $18.48 | $38,430 | $28,560 | $59,590 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.75 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | $18.42 | $38,320 | $23,310 | $62,400 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.47 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $31,250 | $55,590 | 720 | 0.07 | 1.43 |
| 30 | Wyoming profile | $17.83 | $37,090 | $25,000 | $39,250 | 60 | 0.20 | 3.91 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $17.80 | $37,030 | $34,410 | $46,830 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.31 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $33,240 | $50,080 | 100 | 0.06 | 1.20 |
| 33 | Tennessee profile | $17.09 | $35,540 | $31,470 | $53,220 | 200 | 0.06 | 1.18 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $16.72 | $34,790 | $30,360 | $65,260 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.69 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $16.03 | $33,330 | $29,530 | $50,740 | 70 | 0.06 | 1.21 |
| 36 | Texas profile | $15.59 | $32,430 | $23,400 | $52,800 | 550 | 0.04 | 0.77 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $15.17 | $31,550 | $30,200 | $42,950 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.67 |
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 51-9123 Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 51-9123, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9123.00, 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.