Painter
Field & Trades
Applies the finish coat that's the most visible part of almost every building, and, on older buildings, has to know exactly what's under that old paint before touching it.
What is a Painter?
A Painter prepares surfaces and applies paint, stain, and coatings on new construction and renovation projects, both interior and exterior. No personal painting license is legally required in most states. One federal requirement does apply to a specific, common scope of work: the EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule legally requires firm certification and individual "certified renovator" training for anyone paid to perform work, including painting, that disturbs paint in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978, since that paint may contain lead.
What they do
- Prepare surfaces, scraping, sanding, patching, and priming, before painting
- Apply paint, stain, and specialty coatings by brush, roller, or sprayer
- Match colors and finishes to specifications or existing conditions
- Test for and safely manage lead-based paint on pre-1978 buildings per EPA RRP requirements
- Protect finished surfaces, flooring, and fixtures from overspray and drips
- Estimate paint and material quantities needed for a job
A typical day
- 7:00 AMSet up drop cloths and protect surfaces not being painted
- 7:30 AMPrepare surfaces, sanding, patching, and priming as needed
- 9:30 AMApply the first coat of paint to prepared surfaces
- 12:00 PMAllow the first coat to dry while prepping the next area
- 2:00 PMApply a second coat and do detail/trim work with a brush
Skills
Software
Pay expectations
Pay by experience, nationally
as of May 2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Painters, Construction and Maintenance (SOC 47-2141), national data
Reviewed May 2025. Pay reflects the national wage distribution for this occupation, not a promise for any one job: entry level is the lower part of that range, 5 years in sits around the national median, and 10 years in is the upper part, since pay isn't actually tracked by years on the job. Real pay varies a lot by state, metro area, union status, and employer — scale these up or down for your market. These figures are base pay only: overtime, shift differentials, and per-project bonuses are standard across most construction trades and routinely push real earnings above what's shown here.
What this chart doesn't capture
Painting has one of the lowest barriers to business ownership in construction — which is exactly why it's also one of the most competitive to price.
These figures are wage-and-salary pay only — BLS excludes the self-employed and business owners entirely. No reliable owner-income figure exists for painting contractors specifically; low startup costs mean a crowded field of small crews, which can make pricing a job as much a skill as the painting itself. Worth researching your local market's competition before assuming a number you find online holds.
Education
- Required:
- High school diploma or equivalent, since no personal painting license is legally required in most states. Anyone paid to perform painting or renovation work that disturbs paint in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 is legally required, under the EPA's RRP Rule, to work for an EPA-certified firm and have completed the certified renovator training for that specific scope of work
- Preferred:
- On-the-job training or a formal painting apprenticeship
- Helpful:
- Manufacturer-specific coating certifications, spray finishing experience
- Not necessary:
- A college degree, since this trade is learned almost entirely on the job
Career progression
- 1.Painter's Helper
- 2.Painter
- 3.Lead Painter or Foreman
- 4.Painting Superintendent or own a painting contracting business
Who hires for this role
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