Painters, Construction and Maintenance Salary: $48,660 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 224,180 painters, construction and maintenance work nationally, and $48,660 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 11% from the first to the last year; much hiring sits in construction.
Painters, Construction and Maintenance: what the data shows
Common questions about painters, construction and maintenance careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a painters, construction and maintenance?
Painters, Construction and Maintenance is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 47-2141.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 224,180 workers.
What does a painters, construction and maintenance do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Performing General Physical Activities, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a painters, construction and maintenance make?
BLS national median annual wage: $48,660 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $62,865 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,471 |
| 25th percentile | $49,133 |
| Median (50th) | $59,139 |
| 75th percentile | $70,421 |
| 90th percentile | $92,512 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, and knowledge areas including Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, English Language, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is painters, construction and maintenance in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.1% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 0.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 1.2%.
Current U.S. headcount: 224,180.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do painters, construction and maintenances work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 224,180 | 17.7% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 212,890 | 16.8% |
| Construction | 181,500 | 14.3% |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 156,260 | 12.3% |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 149,320 | 11.8% |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | 139,260 | 11.0% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Painters, Construction and Maintenance in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | 3,320 | $50,280 |
| Craft Artists | 4,370 | $38,480 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 10,000 | $60,560 |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | 7,220 | $38,140 |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 7,370 | $72,760 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Painters, Construction and Maintenance workforce.
Employment Over Time
224,180 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Painters, Construction and Maintenance grew from 147,760 in 2009 to 150,620 in 2025 (1.9%).
Historical employment for Painters, Construction and Maintenance from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$48,660 Median pay (BLS national)
Painters, Construction and Maintenance earn $48,660 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Salary distribution for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Employment Growth Projections
0.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
151,525 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 0.6%
152,435 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 1.2%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.1% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Painters, Construction and Maintenance and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Painters, Construction and Maintenance employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Wage Trends by Industry
-1.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 37,780 employees, $61,070 avg wage
- FL: 20,910 employees, $46,190 avg wage
- TX: 18,700 employees, $44,020 avg wage
- NY: 14,670 employees, $59,180 avg wage
- WA: 8,820 employees, $59,720 avg wage
- AZ: 6,780 employees, $51,570 avg wage
- IL: 6,700 employees, $69,290 avg wage
- PA: 6,110 employees, $53,060 avg wage
- OH: 6,050 employees, $56,040 avg wage
- VA: 5,300 employees, $45,440 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 13,500 employees, $62,560 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 10,440 employees, $62,490 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 5,920 employees, $68,410 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 5,550 employees, $45,420 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 5,390 employees, $71,420 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 5,220 employees, $46,670 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 5,090 employees, $43,980 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 5,010 employees, $53,030 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 4,720 employees, $62,110 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 4,370 employees, $56,890 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Diversity
Demographic information on Painters, Construction and Maintenance in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Painters, Construction and Maintenance is about 224,180 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Majors
O*NET-related majors commonly linked to Painters, Construction and Maintenance include Business Administration, Visual Arts, Fine Arts.
Common majors for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Painters, Construction and Maintenance workers.
Education level distribution for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Skills
Painters, Construction and Maintenance need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making.
Required skills for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Painters, Construction and Maintenance include Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Building and Construction.
Knowledge areas required for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Painters, Construction and Maintenance include Arm-Hand Steadiness, Trunk Strength, Visual Color Discrimination, Near Vision, Extent Flexibility.
Required abilities for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Daily Activities
Painters, Construction and Maintenance spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Performing General Physical Activities.
Most important work activities for Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
About
Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Painters, Construction and Maintenance earn $48,660 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
47-2141 - Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Painters, Construction and Maintenance reports an average salary of $62,865.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 224,180 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.