Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.
Also called: Building Trades Painter · Commercial Painter · Facilities Painter · Highway Painter · House Painter · Industrial Painter
Median pay (national)
$48,660
$36,680–$76,550 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
224,180
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.8%
~28,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for painters, construction and maintenance shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $76,550 versus $36,680 at the bottom 10% — 2.1x. The median of $48,660 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.8% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 28,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Hawaii pays the most for this role (median $67,620, +39% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $23,530 — a 187% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
- Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level.
- Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing.
- Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies.
- Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
- Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.
- Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders.
- Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
- Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
- Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Windows
- Act!
- Corel Paint Shop Pro
- Corel Painter
- Evergreen Technology Eagle Bid Estimating
- Evergreen Technology Total Faux
- Insight Direct ServiceCEO
- On Center Quick Bid
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Chemistry
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing