Highest Paying Cities for Painters — 2026
Chicago, Illinois ranks first with an average Painter salary of $70,720 per year ($34.00/hr). Full ranking of 100 cities below, updated August 2026.
Methodology: Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release data vintage (survey reference period May 2025), mapped from SOC occupation 47-2141 Painters, Construction and Maintenance to the job title "Painter". Values are measured survey estimates for the metropolitan metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — not modeled or interpolated. Year-over-year comparisons use the May 2024 OEWS release. The year shown in page titles is the publication and update year, not the data vintage.
Ranked Cities
| City | State | Average Annual Salary | Hourly Rate | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Illinois | $70,720 | $34.00/hr | $44,560 | $109,820 |
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | $70,560 | $33.92/hr | $46,770 | $90,270 |
| San Francisco | California | $70,530 | $33.91/hr | $48,060 | $100,550 |
| New York | New York | $69,930 | $33.62/hr | $45,400 | $111,550 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $68,050 | $32.72/hr | $38,480 | $120,820 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $64,910 | $31.21/hr | $45,650 | $109,840 |
| Bakersfield | California | $64,380 | $30.95/hr | $38,650 | $90,860 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $63,040 | $30.31/hr | $43,880 | $81,140 |
| Sacramento | California | $62,900 | $30.24/hr | $42,110 | $93,550 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $62,710 | $30.15/hr | $40,430 | $83,380 |
| Seattle | Washington | $62,400 | $30.00/hr | $47,400 | $79,280 |
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $62,020 | $29.82/hr | $43,900 | $79,190 |
| Los Angeles | California | $61,800 | $29.71/hr | $42,130 | $85,130 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $61,110 | $29.38/hr | $41,430 | $101,090 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $60,350 | $29.01/hr | $37,240 | $92,990 |
| San Diego | California | $59,820 | $28.76/hr | $44,370 | $83,530 |
| Denver | Colorado | $59,700 | $28.70/hr | $46,430 | $80,970 |
| Akron | Ohio | $59,400 | $28.56/hr | $37,720 | $74,410 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $59,230 | $28.48/hr | $39,370 | $76,070 |
| Buffalo | New York | $58,670 | $28.21/hr | $39,040 | $95,930 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $57,930 | $27.85/hr | $43,390 | $83,960 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $57,810 | $27.79/hr | $37,520 | $76,960 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $57,610 | $27.70/hr | $39,470 | $79,750 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $56,980 | $27.39/hr | $38,270 | $77,110 |
| Riverside | California | $56,890 | $27.35/hr | $38,050 | $82,330 |
| Fresno | California | $56,360 | $27.10/hr | $37,630 | $77,010 |
| Portland | Oregon | $56,330 | $27.08/hr | $38,990 | $73,860 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $56,030 | $26.94/hr | $39,390 | $75,100 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $55,910 | $26.88/hr | $37,400 | $75,970 |
| Spokane | Washington | $55,870 | $26.86/hr | $43,570 | $70,010 |
| Modesto | California | $55,630 | $26.74/hr | $39,670 | $77,050 |
| Stockton | California | $55,630 | $26.75/hr | $38,370 | $76,990 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $55,610 | $26.73/hr | $38,550 | $70,190 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $55,590 | $26.73/hr | $37,460 | $75,700 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $55,590 | $26.73/hr | $41,600 | $74,040 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $55,410 | $26.64/hr | $39,970 | $80,560 |
| Syracuse | New York | $55,220 | $26.55/hr | $39,370 | $78,140 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $55,030 | $26.46/hr | $38,060 | $71,340 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $54,030 | $25.98/hr | $40,780 | $64,610 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $53,890 | $25.91/hr | $37,440 | $69,350 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $53,730 | $25.83/hr | $37,730 | $68,160 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $53,620 | $25.78/hr | $37,980 | $64,880 |
| Rochester | New York | $53,530 | $25.74/hr | $39,970 | $66,680 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $53,450 | $25.70/hr | $36,250 | $69,520 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $53,370 | $25.66/hr | $36,040 | $70,640 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $53,030 | $25.50/hr | $34,770 | $72,320 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $52,650 | $25.31/hr | $38,040 | $75,290 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $52,190 | $25.09/hr | $38,890 | $59,700 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $52,050 | $25.02/hr | $36,430 | $68,950 |
| Ogden | Utah | $51,890 | $24.95/hr | $36,940 | $73,090 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $51,810 | $24.91/hr | $37,490 | $62,350 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $51,730 | $24.87/hr | $36,710 | $70,090 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $50,970 | $24.51/hr | $37,810 | $66,200 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $50,770 | $24.41/hr | $35,460 | $63,670 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $50,700 | $24.37/hr | $36,070 | $67,930 |
| Miami | Florida | $50,610 | $24.33/hr | $37,830 | $65,630 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $50,460 | $24.26/hr | $37,900 | $59,030 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $50,260 | $24.16/hr | $38,400 | $65,780 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $50,180 | $24.13/hr | $34,850 | $72,050 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $50,100 | $24.09/hr | $36,920 | $71,950 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $49,940 | $24.01/hr | $35,640 | $59,330 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $49,870 | $23.97/hr | $31,200 | $75,710 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $49,410 | $23.76/hr | $37,290 | $58,760 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $48,960 | $23.54/hr | $38,050 | $63,360 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $48,880 | $23.50/hr | $36,070 | $62,660 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $48,870 | $23.50/hr | $38,180 | $63,440 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $48,600 | $23.36/hr | $30,650 | $67,410 |
| Tampa | Florida | $48,180 | $23.16/hr | $36,870 | $58,870 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $47,810 | $22.99/hr | $36,790 | $59,280 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $47,780 | $22.97/hr | $35,730 | $68,640 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $47,640 | $22.91/hr | $35,610 | $59,640 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $47,630 | $22.90/hr | $37,690 | $60,070 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $47,140 | $22.66/hr | $37,310 | $60,090 |
| Houston | Texas | $47,070 | $22.63/hr | $37,460 | $58,390 |
| Austin | Texas | $46,990 | $22.59/hr | $39,160 | $59,970 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $46,860 | $22.53/hr | $34,790 | $59,470 |
| Dallas | Texas | $46,740 | $22.47/hr | $36,300 | $60,370 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $46,380 | $22.30/hr | $37,100 | $62,140 |
| Boise | Idaho | $46,210 | $22.21/hr | $35,150 | $61,860 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $46,060 | $22.15/hr | $34,700 | $59,010 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $45,990 | $22.11/hr | $36,830 | $57,920 |
| Orlando | Florida | $45,980 | $22.11/hr | $35,240 | $61,150 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $45,890 | $22.06/hr | $36,450 | $57,510 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $45,760 | $22.00/hr | $35,100 | $57,430 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $45,500 | $21.87/hr | $36,640 | $63,240 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $45,410 | $21.83/hr | $34,730 | $57,940 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $45,260 | $21.76/hr | $35,000 | $57,140 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $44,730 | $21.51/hr | $34,810 | $57,770 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $44,480 | $21.39/hr | $34,880 | $57,580 |
| Provo | Utah | $43,610 | $20.97/hr | $31,280 | $58,120 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $43,490 | $20.91/hr | $30,630 | $55,380 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $43,370 | $20.85/hr | $34,700 | $59,130 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $43,240 | $20.79/hr | $29,310 | $54,610 |
| McAllen | Texas | $43,060 | $20.70/hr | $32,440 | $58,150 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $43,020 | $20.68/hr | $29,390 | $56,410 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $42,880 | $20.62/hr | $32,000 | $54,570 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $42,470 | $20.42/hr | $26,140 | $53,110 |
| Victoria | Texas | $41,820 | $20.11/hr | $36,020 | $57,780 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $41,790 | $20.09/hr | $29,000 | $56,270 |
| El Paso | Texas | $38,840 | $18.67/hr | $29,980 | $48,690 |