Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Painting, coating, and decorating workers focus on applying finishes and decorative treatments to surfaces and products. Nationally, this is a relatively small field with 9,000 workers, which can appeal to people who prefer a more specialized trade environment. The typical entry point does not require a formal educational credential, making it accessible to career changers and new workers who want to build skills on the job. The national median salary of $40,860 offers a baseline for earnings, with some states and metros providing higher pay. Projected employment growth of 1.4% and about 1,000 annual openings indicate a flow of opportunities for new entrants and experienced workers. Key strengths for this career include fine motor ability, physical strength and stamina, mechanical understanding, and creativity and innovation. Strong customer service, interpersonal, and basic writing and reading skills can also support success when interacting with clients or coworkers. For those comparing options, related paths include graders and sorters of agricultural products, textile and furnishings workers, manicurists and pedicurists, laundry and dry-cleaning workers, and tapers.
Painting, coating, and decorating workers earn a national median annual salary of $40,860, providing a benchmark for evaluating opportunities in different regions. Earnings vary by location. Among the top states, Washington and Colorado show median salaries of $61,210 and $54,070, respectively, while Massachusetts matches Colorado at $54,070. New York and Virginia offer median pay of $48,510 and $47,090. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City stands out with a median salary of $72,610, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton offers $57,000 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria offers $53,290. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont show median salaries of $48,470 and $47,310. These differences highlight how pay can shift significantly by region, even within areas that have strong overall opportunity scores. Job seekers can use the national median as a reference point and compare it with specific state and metro medians when deciding where to pursue roles.
National employment for painting, coating, and decorating workers is 9,000, indicating a relatively small workforce. Projected employment growth of 1.4% suggests modest expansion over the projection period. With about 1,000 annual openings, there is an ongoing need for workers entering or re-entering the field. All of the highlighted top states and metros share the same listed growth rate of 1.4%, providing a consistent benchmark across those locations. For individuals exploring this career, the combination of a defined but not oversized workforce, measurable projected growth, and steady annual openings can indicate room for both new entrants and experienced workers seeking new employers or regions. People thinking about related career alternatives may also consider occupations such as graders and sorters of agricultural products, textile, apparel, and furnishings workers (all other), manicurists and pedicurists, laundry and dry-cleaning workers, and tapers when comparing overall employment outlooks and pathways.
Location makes a notable difference for painting, coating, and decorating workers, both in opportunity scores and wages. Among states, Massachusetts and New York show the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, at 65.87 and 65.78, with median salaries of $54,070 and $48,510 and employment of 210 and 460. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia also rank strongly, with opportunity scores from 54.96 to 56.97. Washington has the highest listed state-level median pay at $61,210, while Virginia shows $47,090. All these top states share a projected growth rate of 1.4%. At the metro level, opportunity scores are even higher in some locations. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and New York-Newark-Jersey City both exceed 77, with New York-Newark-Jersey City offering the highest metro median salary at $72,610. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont also combine solid opportunity scores with median salaries between $47,310 and $57,000, giving job seekers multiple regional options to compare.
The typical education requirement for painting, coating, and decorating workers is listed as no formal educational credential. This makes the field accessible to individuals who do not have traditional academic backgrounds but are ready to develop practical capabilities. Success in this occupation draws on several key skills. Fine motor skills and physical strength and stamina support hands-on finishing and decorating tasks. Mechanical skills and basic science knowledge help workers understand tools, equipment, and materials. Project management abilities can assist with organizing work and meeting schedules. Creativity and innovation are valuable for decorative and aesthetic aspects of the role. Customer service and interpersonal skills matter when working with clients or within teams, while writing and reading skills support following instructions and documenting work. Familiarity with computers and information technology can also be beneficial. Together, these skills provide multiple avenues for growth and improvement, even without a formal credential-based education path.
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