What painters should charge, state by state.
Built from what construction and maintenance painters actually earn in each state, not from ads or lead-gen sites with a cut on the sale. The math is on this page. In the median US state, fair billed labor runs about $42–$72/hour, though the spread between states is wide.
What is a fair hourly rate for painters?
A fair billed rate for painters in the median US state is roughly $42–$72 per hour, though the spread across states is wide. That comes from what construction and maintenance painters actually earn per state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025) multiplied by the standard 2–2.5× billing multiple that covers payroll taxes, insurance, equipment, overhead and profit. Rates vary widely by state: Hawaii is the most expensive market (median wage $32.80/hr) while Arkansas is among the least (median $19.28/hr). Pick your state below for per-job fair ranges.
Most expensive states
- Hawaii $32.80/hr median wage
- Illinois $29.45/hr median wage
- Alaska $29.32/hr median wage
- Washington $28.68/hr median wage
- New York $28.64/hr median wage
Least expensive states
- Arkansas $19.28/hr median wage
- South Carolina $19.64/hr median wage
- Rhode Island $20.00/hr median wage
- Tennessee $20.78/hr median wage
- Alabama $21.12/hr median wage
Fair painters rates in every state
Wage percentiles are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Fair billed rate = wages × 2–2.5 (payroll taxes, insurance, equipment, overhead, profit). Click a state for per-job fair ranges.
| State | Painter wage (25th–75th pct) | Median | Fair billed rate | Paint one bedroom (walls only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18.00–$24.24/hr | $21.12/hr | $36–$61/hr | $145–$475 |
| Alaska | $26.30–$35.85/hr | $29.32/hr | $53–$90/hr | $200–$725 |
| Arizona | $21.81–$28.16/hr | $23.20/hr | $44–$70/hr | $175–$575 |
| Arkansas | $17.76–$22.85/hr | $19.28/hr | $36–$57/hr | $140–$450 |
| California | $22.85–$35.11/hr | $28.38/hr | $46–$88/hr | $185–$700 |
| Colorado | $22.70–$28.68/hr | $25.47/hr | $45–$72/hr | $180–$575 |
| Connecticut | $22.90–$36.74/hr | $28.12/hr | $46–$92/hr | $185–$725 |
| Delaware | $24.36–$29.66/hr | $28.14/hr | $49–$74/hr | $195–$600 |
| District of Columbia | $22.77–$33.36/hr | $28.61/hr | $46–$83/hr | $180–$675 |
| Florida | $19.20–$24.10/hr | $22.85/hr | $38–$60/hr | $155–$475 |
| Georgia | $20.26–$27.73/hr | $23.24/hr | $41–$69/hr | $160–$550 |
| Hawaii | $28.59–$41.00/hr | $32.80/hr | $57–$103/hr | $225–$825 |
| Idaho | $17.73–$23.03/hr | $21.58/hr | $35–$58/hr | $140–$450 |
| Illinois | $23.07–$44.82/hr | $29.45/hr | $46–$112/hr | $185–$900 |
| Indiana | $20.76–$30.02/hr | $24.16/hr | $42–$75/hr | $165–$600 |
| Iowa | $20.70–$29.54/hr | $23.90/hr | $41–$74/hr | $165–$600 |
| Kansas | $17.88–$23.73/hr | $21.88/hr | $36–$59/hr | $145–$475 |
| Kentucky | $19.33–$28.72/hr | $23.13/hr | $39–$72/hr | $155–$575 |
| Louisiana | $18.74–$24.26/hr | $22.31/hr | $37–$61/hr | $150–$475 |
| Maine | $24.12–$30.35/hr | $28.50/hr | $48–$76/hr | $195–$600 |
| Maryland | $22.37–$28.50/hr | $23.62/hr | $45–$71/hr | $180–$575 |
| Massachusetts | $22.51–$33.68/hr | $27.65/hr | $45–$84/hr | $180–$675 |
| Michigan | $21.78–$30.27/hr | $24.35/hr | $44–$76/hr | $175–$600 |
| Minnesota | $20.96–$33.34/hr | $27.54/hr | $42–$83/hr | $170–$675 |
| Mississippi | $17.75–$25.64/hr | $21.54/hr | $36–$64/hr | $140–$525 |
| Missouri | $22.28–$32.94/hr | $27.65/hr | $45–$82/hr | $180–$650 |
| Montana | $22.78–$29.72/hr | $28.03/hr | $46–$74/hr | $180–$600 |
| Nebraska | $18.19–$24.62/hr | $22.73/hr | $36–$62/hr | $145–$500 |
| Nevada | $22.57–$30.47/hr | $27.11/hr | $45–$76/hr | $180–$600 |
| New Hampshire | $22.39–$27.83/hr | $23.88/hr | $45–$70/hr | $180–$550 |
| New Jersey | $21.87–$34.80/hr | $28.49/hr | $44–$87/hr | $175–$700 |
| New Mexico | $19.48–$24.19/hr | $22.23/hr | $39–$60/hr | $155–$475 |
| New York | $23.47–$38.14/hr | $28.64/hr | $47–$95/hr | $190–$775 |
| North Carolina | $17.83–$23.63/hr | $21.21/hr | $36–$59/hr | $145–$475 |
| North Dakota | $22.75–$29.16/hr | $26.38/hr | $46–$73/hr | $180–$575 |
| Ohio | $21.17–$29.71/hr | $23.77/hr | $42–$74/hr | $170–$600 |
| Oklahoma | $17.64–$24.83/hr | $21.59/hr | $35–$62/hr | $140–$500 |
| Oregon | $22.09–$29.60/hr | $23.51/hr | $44–$74/hr | $175–$600 |
| Pennsylvania | $22.89–$29.33/hr | $25.06/hr | $46–$73/hr | $185–$575 |
| Rhode Island | $17.90–$26.95/hr | $20.00/hr | $36–$67/hr | $145–$550 |
| South Carolina | $17.31–$23.34/hr | $19.64/hr | $35–$58/hr | $140–$475 |
| South Dakota | $19.92–$24.73/hr | $23.15/hr | $40–$62/hr | $160–$500 |
| Tennessee | $17.96–$23.03/hr | $20.78/hr | $36–$58/hr | $145–$450 |
| Texas | $18.78–$23.74/hr | $21.86/hr | $38–$59/hr | $150–$475 |
| Utah | $18.32–$25.89/hr | $22.14/hr | $37–$65/hr | $145–$525 |
| Vermont | $23.42–$28.97/hr | $25.54/hr | $47–$72/hr | $185–$575 |
| Virginia | $18.89–$27.03/hr | $22.82/hr | $38–$68/hr | $150–$550 |
| Washington | $23.53–$31.32/hr | $28.68/hr | $47–$78/hr | $190–$625 |
| West Virginia | $15.75–$26.11/hr | $21.26/hr | $32–$65/hr | $125–$525 |
| Wisconsin | $22.42–$28.89/hr | $24.08/hr | $45–$72/hr | $180–$575 |
| Wyoming | $18.45–$26.56/hr | $22.70/hr | $37–$66/hr | $150–$525 |
Job figures are fair labor ranges: materials, parts and disposal are extra, and access, condition and season move real prices. This is an educational estimate, not a quote. Before hiring: verify the license, collect three same-scope bids, and compare them side by side. All trades: fair price checks.