The median annual wage for painting and coating workers was $34,340 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $56,910.
Median annual wages for painting and coating workers in May 2015 were as follows:
Painters, transportation equipment
$41,150
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
31,940
Painting, coating, and decorating workers
29,270
Automotive painters in repair shops may receive a bonus or commission in addition to their wages.
Trucking companies, bus lines, and other organizations that repair and refinish their own vehicles generally pay by the hour.
The vast majority of painting and coating workers are employed full time. Automotive painters in repair shops often work overtime, depending on the number of vehicles that need repainting.
Painting and Coating Workers
Median annual wages, May 2015
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Painting and coating workers
$34,340
Production occupations
$32,250
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics