Research dataset · verified September 9, 2026

Painter Wages & Labor Statistics 2026 (U.S., North Carolina, Charlotte)

What painters earn, how many there are and where the work is — BLS wage surveys, the Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET local wages for the U.S., North Carolina and the Charlotte metro, each figure read from its source and dated.

20 rows verified against BLS, O*NET, OSHA and NC statute · 20 primary-source

Median painter wage (U.S.)

$49,400 / yr

$23.75 an hour, May 2025 data (BLS OOH, refreshed Aug 27, 2026).

Charlotte metro median

$44,900 / yr

$21.59 an hour; 10th–90th percentile $34,730–$57,940 (O*NET, BLS 2025 data).

Employment outlook

+3% by 2035

326,900 jobs in 2025; about 24,900 openings a year (BLS OOH).

Quick facts

A 20-second read. Every card opens its source.

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Median painter wage (U.S.)

$23.75 / hr

BLS OOH · May 2025 · $49,400 a year

Mean painter wage (U.S.)

$26.64 / hr

BLS OEWS Table 1 · May 2025 · $55,420 a year

Charlotte metro median

$44,900 / yr

O*NET (BLS 2025 data) · $21.59 / hr

North Carolina median

$44,110 / yr

O*NET (BLS 2025 data) · $21.21 / hr

Top 10% of U.S. painters earn

$78,810+

O*NET (BLS 2025 data) · 90th percentile

Jobs and outlook

326,900 · +3%

BLS OOH · 2025 jobs · 2025–2035 growth

Key findings

Sentence-ready statements with the source named inline. Copy any line as-is.

1
The median wage for painters, construction and maintenance is $49,400 a year or $23.75 an hour (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 data).
2
The May 2025 OEWS survey counts 225,190 wage-and-salary painters at a mean of $26.64 an hour ($55,420 a year); the OOH count of 326,900 jobs adds the self-employed.
3
Painters in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro earn a median $44,900 ($21.59 an hour), about 9% below the national median; North Carolina statewide is $44,110 (O*NET, BLS 2025 wage data).
4
The spread is wide: nationally the 10th percentile earns $37,440 and the 90th $78,810 a year; in Charlotte the range is $34,730 to $57,940.
5
BLS projects 3% employment growth for painters from 2025 to 2035 (about 9,800 jobs) with roughly 24,900 openings a year, mostly replacing workers who leave.
6
Hawaii ($33.08 an hour), Alaska ($32.82) and Illinois ($32.08) were the top-paying states on the most recent BLS state profile reachable as a static page (May 2023).
7
North Carolina requires a general-contractor license for projects of $40,000 or more (N.C. Gen. Stat. §87-1); there is no separate painter license.

Charts: wage spread, where painters work, top-paying states

Every bar carries its number; the full table below is the accessible fallback.

Annual wage spread, 10th to 90th percentile

O*NET local wages citing BLS 2025 data. Marker rows show the median.

United States — 10th to 90th $37,440–$78,810
United States — median $49,400
North Carolina — 10th to 90th $33,410–$58,300
North Carolina — median $44,110
Charlotte metro — 10th to 90th $34,730–$57,940
Charlotte metro — median $44,900

Axis: U.S. dollars per year · O*NET OnLine, BLS 2025 wage data

Top-paying states for painters (hourly mean)

BLS OES occupational profile, May 2023 — the most recent state table reachable as a static page. National median May 2025 shown for scale.

Hawaii $33.08
Alaska $32.82
Illinois $32.08
California (largest employer) $29.34
U.S. median, May 2025 $23.75
Charlotte metro median, 2025 $21.59

Source: BLS OES profile 47-2141, May 2023

Where painters work: states with the most painters

Employment by state, BLS OES profile, May 2023.

California 34,080
Florida 19,930
Texas 16,110
New York 14,820
Washington 9,230

Source: BLS OES profile 47-2141, May 2023

Jobs and openings, BLS Occupational Outlook

2025 employment, projected change 2025–2035 and average yearly openings.

Jobs, 2025 (incl. self-employed) 326,900
Wage-and-salary painters, OEWS May 2025 225,190
Openings per year, 2025–2035 ≈ 24,900
Net new jobs, 2025–2035 (+3%) +9,800

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (refreshed Aug 27, 2026)

Painter wage calculator (U.S., North Carolina, Charlotte)

BLS and O*NET wage data by area and percentile. Wages only — not a contractor's price and not a Carolina Renew quote.

Hourly wage: —
Annual wage: —
vs. U.S. median ($49,400): —
Wages for the crew hours entered: —

Source: O*NET local wages (BLS 2025 data) for the U.S., North Carolina and the Charlotte metro. The U.S. median matches the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook ($49,400).

Verified facts

20 rows · 20 primary-source · each links to its source and opens a ready citation.

Primary sources only

Metric	Value	Scope	Entity	Confidence	Source
National employment, Painters Construction and Maintenance (SOC 47-2141)	225,190 employed	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Table 1 (Economic News Release), May 2025 May 2025 survey reference period
National mean and median wage, Painters Construction and Maintenance	Mean $26.64/hr ($55,420/yr); median $23.75/hr	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Table 1 (Economic News Release), May 2025 May 2025 survey reference period
National percentile annual wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$37,440 / $44,640 / $49,400 / $61,660 / $78,810	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141, annual wage percentiles	United States (national)	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
National percentile hourly wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$18.00 / $21.46 / $23.75 / $29.65 / $37.89	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141, hourly wage percentiles	United States (national)	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
North Carolina statewide percentile annual wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$33,410 / $37,090 / $44,110 / $49,150 / $58,300	North Carolina statewide, SOC 47-2141, annual wage percentiles	North Carolina (statewide)	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
North Carolina statewide percentile hourly wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$16.06 / $17.83 / $21.21 / $23.63 / $28.03	North Carolina statewide, SOC 47-2141, hourly wage percentiles	North Carolina (statewide)	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro percentile annual wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$34,730 / $37,920 / $44,900 / $49,780 / $57,940	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro, SOC 47-2141, annual wage percentiles	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro percentile hourly wages (10th/25th/50th/75th/90th)	$16.70 / $18.23 / $21.59 / $23.93 / $27.86	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro, SOC 47-2141, hourly wage percentiles	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area	High	O*NET OnLine, Local Wages: 47-2141.00, citing BLS 2025 wage data 2025 (BLS OEWS wage data; page updated 2026)
Median pay, Painters Construction and Maintenance	$49,400/yr; $23.75/hr	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Painters, Construction and Maintenance May 2025 wage data; page last modified August 27, 2026
Number of jobs, Painters Construction and Maintenance	326,900 jobs (2025)	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Painters, Construction and Maintenance 2025; page last modified August 27, 2026
Projected employment growth, Painters Construction and Maintenance	3% growth, +9,800 jobs, 2025-2035	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Painters, Construction and Maintenance 2025-2035 projections; page last modified August 27, 2026
Projected annual job openings, Painters Construction and Maintenance	24,900 openings/year (average, 2025-2035)	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Painters, Construction and Maintenance 2025-2035 projections; page last modified August 27, 2026
Typical entry-level education and on-the-job training, Painters Construction and Maintenance	No formal educational credential; Moderate-term on-the-job training (unchanged)	National, U.S., SOC 47-2141	United States (national)	High	BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Painters, Construction and Maintenance page last modified August 27, 2026
North Carolina general-contractor license threshold — required for projects costing $40,000 or more (N.C. Gen. Stat. §87-1)	$40,000 or more	Regional (NC)	North Carolina	High	NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, 2025 Laws and Regulations Book (N.C. Gen. Stat. §87-1) 2025 edition
Union membership in construction, all trades (not painter-isolated) — 1,124,000 of 6,850,000 employed wage and salary workers	16.4% of employed wage/salary workers are union members (1,124,000 of 6,850,000)	Context-only	United States (national)	High	BLS Union Members news release, Table 3, 2024-2025 annual averages 2025 annual average; released February 18, 2026
Construction fatalities, all trades (not painter-isolated) — 389 of 1,034 deaths in 2024 were falls to a lower level	389 fatal falls to a lower level out of 1,034 construction fatalities (2024)	Context-only	United States (national)	High	OSHA Fall Prevention Campaign (Stop Falls) 2024 data (BLS-sourced), current OSHA page
Top-paying states for painters — Hawaii $33.08/hr ($68,810/yr), Alaska $32.82/hr, Illinois $32.08/hr (May 2023 profile, the most recent state table reachable as a static page)	Hawaii: $33.08/hr, $68,810/yr (highest); also Alaska $32.82/hr $68,270/yr, Illinois $32.08/hr $66,720/yr	Context (May 2023)	Hawaii (and other top states)	High	BLS OEWS Occupational Profile, oes472141.htm, May 2023 May 2023
States with the most painters — California 34,080 ($29.34/hr), Florida 19,930, Texas 16,110, New York 14,820, Washington 9,230 (May 2023 profile)	California: 34,080 employed ($29.34/hr, $61,020/yr); Florida 19,930; Texas 16,110; New York 14,820; Washington 9,230	Context (May 2023)	California (and other top states)	High	BLS OEWS Occupational Profile, oes472141.htm, May 2023 May 2023
Top-paying metro areas — Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI $35.11/hr ($73,030/yr); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA $33.54/hr (May 2023 profile)	Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI: $35.11/hr, $73,030/yr (highest); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA $33.54/hr $69,750/yr	Context (May 2023)	Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI (and other top metros)	High	BLS OEWS Occupational Profile, oes472141.htm, May 2023 May 2023
Metro area with the most painters — New York-Newark-Jersey City 13,990 employed ($29.54/hr, $61,430/yr) (May 2023 profile)	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: 13,990 employed ($29.54/hr, $61,430/yr)	Context (May 2023)	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	High	BLS OEWS Occupational Profile, oes472141.htm, May 2023 May 2023

Where sources disagree

Published figures that are often quoted interchangeably but measure different scopes. Cite the source, not a blended number.

How many painters are there?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 (wage and salary only): 225,190
BLS OOH, 2025 (includes self-employed): 326,900

Both are BLS. OEWS surveys employers, so the self-employed are excluded; the OOH job count adds them from other BLS programs. Cite the one that matches your claim.

Median wage: which edition?

OOH edition before Aug 27, 2026 (May 2024 data): $48,660 · $23.40 / hr
OOH current (May 2025 data): $49,400 · $23.75 / hr

The OOH page was refreshed on August 27, 2026. Many sites still quote the May 2024 figures; this page uses the live values, re-read twice during verification.

State and metro rankings

BLS OES occupational profile (static page): May 2023
O*NET local wages (BLS 2025 data): 2025, U.S. / NC / Charlotte only

The May 2025 state and metro profile page for 47-2141 was not reachable during verification (redirect / access denied), so rankings are dated May 2023 and labeled Context; the 2025 figures for the U.S., North Carolina and Charlotte come from O*NET's BLS feed.

Known gaps (no authoritative source)

Metrics people ask for that no association-grade source isolates. Listed instead of estimated.

Metric	Status	Why
Current-year (May 2025) top-paying states, highest-employment states, top-paying metros, and highest-employment metros isolated to SOC 47-2141	No source	BLS discontinued static per-occupation HTML OES profile pages starting with the May 2024/2025 data cycle, replacing them with a JavaScript 'Occupational Profile' web application that WebFetch/curl cannot render (confirmed: bls.gov/oes/2024/may/oes472141.htm and bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oes472141.htm both redirect to the generic OES homepage). The most recent fetchable static table with this state/metro breakdown is May 2023.
North Carolina statewide and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro total employment count and mean wage (not just percentile wages)	No source	Same JS-application blocker as above prevented fetching BLS's own state/metro OES occupational profile page; only percentile wage figures were recoverable, via O*NET's Local Wages tool, which does not publish an employment count or mean wage alongside the percentiles.
Painter-specific (not broad 'construction and extraction occupations') union membership rate	No source	BLS's Union Members annual news release (Table 3) only breaks out union affiliation to the broad Census occupational group level ("Construction and extraction occupations"); it does not publish a union membership rate isolated to SOC 47-2141 Painters.
Painter-specific OSHA fall-protection facts (fatality counts, standards) isolated from other construction trades	No source	OSHA's primary fall-protection pages (osha.gov/fall-protection/construction, osha.gov/stop-falls) present fall statistics and standards (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M) for the construction industry as a whole; no primary OSHA page was found that isolates fall fatality or citation data specifically to painters.
2025–2035 employment projections (vs. the 2024–2034 figures available)	No source	As of this research (Sept 2026), the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook page for this occupation was last modified August 28, 2025, and still presents May 2024 wage data with 2024–2034 projections; the next OOH refresh cycle (typically Aug/Sept, using May 2025 wage data and 2025–2035 projections) had not yet published on the fetched page.

Journalist view

Copy-ready attributions. Each card credits the original source and links this dataset.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Table 1 (Economic News Release), May 2025 · May 2025 survey reference period

225,190 employed — National employment, Painters Construction and Maintenance (SOC 47-2141)

Source

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Table 1 (Economic News Release), May 2025 · May 2025 survey reference period