The U.S. painting and wall covering contractor industry included 38,280 employer establishments in 2023. A May 2023 industry-specific estimate counted 206,830 workers across all occupations, while later payroll data show employment at 212,800 in August 2026. These figures describe related but different measures: the establishment count is from the Census Bureau, the occupational estimate is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the payroll series tracks nonfarm payroll employees.
Table of contents
- Industry scale and recent employment
- The core painter workforce
- Pay levels across the industry
- Painter wages by industry
- Employment outlook for painters
- Management and administrative roles
- Supporting construction and operations jobs
Industry scale and recent employment
The Census Bureau profile for NAICS 238320, Painting and Wall Covering Contractors, reported 38,280 employer establishments in 2023. An establishment is a business location or unit reported in the industry classification; it is not the same measure as the number of employees or payroll jobs. Census Bureau, “238320: Painting and wall covering contractors”
The BLS May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics industry estimate counted 206,830 workers across all occupations in painting and wall covering contractors. The all-occupation mean wage was $26.45 per hour, or $55,020 annually. These are industry-specific wage estimates, so they describe workers employed by painting and wall covering contractors rather than every painter in every type of employer. BLS, “Painting and Wall Covering Contractors — May 2023 OEWS Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates”
The more recent BLS payroll series shows the following nonfarm payroll employment levels for the industry:
| Measurement period | Payroll employees |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | 212,800 |
| April 2026 | 198,000 |
| May 2026 | 204,500 |
| June 2026 | 208,000 |
| July 2026 | 210,200 |
| August 2026 | 212,800 |
The April 2026 figure was the lowest among the listed 2026 observations, followed by increases in each listed month through August. The August 2026 level matched the August 2025 level in this series. Because these are monthly payroll observations, they should not be treated as a direct update to the May 2023 occupational estimate. BLS, “Table B-1b. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector and selected industry detail, not seasonally adjusted”
The core painter workforce
Painters, construction and maintenance formed the dominant occupation in the May 2023 industry-specific estimate. The occupation accounted for 136,660 jobs, representing 66.07% of employment in painting and wall covering contractors. Its median hourly wage was $22.70, its mean hourly wage was $24.45, and its annual mean wage was $50,860. BLS, May 2023 OEWS industry estimate
The industry also included smaller groups directly connected to finishing and preparation work. Paperhangers accounted for 700 jobs, or 0.34% of industry employment. Helpers for painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons accounted for 5,040 jobs, or 2.44%.
Looking at the wider construction-trades grouping gives another view of the workforce. Construction trades workers as a group accounted for 148,890 jobs, representing 71.99% of employment in the industry. This broader figure includes the core painter occupation and other construction-trade roles, so it should not be added to the painter total as a separate workforce.
For a reader evaluating the labor structure of a painting contractor, the figures point to a business whose employment is concentrated in hands-on trade work. The 66.07% share for painters, construction and maintenance is specific to the May 2023 industry estimate, while the 71.99% construction-trades share is a broader occupational grouping from the same period.
Pay levels across the industry
Industry-wide earnings data provide a separate perspective from occupation-specific wages. Average hourly earnings for painting and wall covering contractors were $30.83 in August 2025. They were $33.08 in June 2026 and $33.55 in July 2026. Average weekly earnings were $1,153.04 in August 2025, $1,257.04 in June 2026, and $1,261.48 in July 2026. BLS, “Employment and Earnings Table B-3b”
These industry-wide averages cover the payroll workforce and are not the same as the BLS May 2023 annual mean wage for all occupations. The measures also refer to different periods: August 2025, June 2026, and July 2026 for the earnings series, compared with May 2023 for the occupational estimate.
For the specific occupation of painters, construction and maintenance, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reported a $49,400 median annual wage and a $23.75 median hourly wage in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,440 annually, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $78,810. BLS, “Painters, Construction and Maintenance: Occupational Outlook Handbook”
The distribution shows why a single average should be used carefully. A median identifies the midpoint of the occupation’s wage distribution, while the 10th- and 90th-percentile thresholds describe the lower and upper ends reported by the BLS. These occupation-wide figures are not limited to painting and wall covering contractors.
Painter wages by industry
The May 2025 Occupational Outlook Handbook also reported different median annual wages by the painter’s industry of employment:
| Industry of employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $69,660 |
| Residential building construction | $52,000 |
| Nonresidential building construction | $49,980 |
| Painting and wall covering contractors | $48,830 |
The $48,830 figure for painting and wall covering contractors is an occupation-specific median for May 2025. It is distinct from the $55,020 annual mean wage across all occupations in the industry in May 2023 and from the $50,860 annual mean for painters, construction and maintenance in that earlier industry estimate. BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook
For DIY planning and contractor comparisons, these figures offer context rather than a quote for a particular project. Actual compensation can vary by employer type, role, experience, and the measure being used. The source periods should remain attached to the numbers when comparing them.
Employment outlook for painters
The BLS projected employment of painters, construction and maintenance to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034. The occupation was projected at 342,200 jobs in 2024 and 355,200 jobs in 2034, a projected numerical increase of 13,000 jobs.
The same 2024–2034 forecast called for about 28,100 openings per year on average. Openings are a measure of annual opportunities during the forecast period and are not the same as the projected net increase. The forecast therefore pairs a 13,000-job increase over the decade with a much larger annual openings figure. BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook
These are projections, not observed employment totals. They cover the painters, construction and maintenance occupation across employers and should not be read as a forecast specifically for NAICS 238320 contractors. The distinction matters because the industry-specific May 2023 estimate and the occupation-wide 2024–2034 outlook use different scopes.
Management and administrative roles
Painting contractors also employ managers, supervisors, and office staff. In May 2023, management occupations accounted for 9,410 jobs, or 4.55% of employment in painting and wall covering contractors. Their annual mean wage was $97,780.
General and operations managers accounted for 6,170 jobs, with an annual mean wage of $98,190. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers accounted for 14,050 jobs, or 6.79% of industry employment, and had an annual mean wage of $65,160.
The supervisor total is larger than the management-occupation total because the BLS categories are not interchangeable. The figures should be read as separate occupation classifications within the industry estimate, not combined into one unduplicated management headcount.
General office clerks accounted for 6,180 jobs, or 2.99% of employment, with an annual mean wage of $44,970. Their presence illustrates the administrative layer behind scheduling, customer communication, purchasing, billing, and other office functions, although the supplied BLS estimate reports the occupation and wage rather than a task-by-task breakdown. BLS, May 2023 OEWS industry estimate
Supporting construction and operations jobs
The May 2023 industry estimate included several smaller supporting occupations. Carpenters accounted for 4,290 jobs and had an annual mean wage of $62,440. Construction laborers accounted for 2,720 jobs, with an annual mean wage of $43,980.
Painting workers accounted for 200 jobs and had an annual mean wage of $47,580. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders accounted for 190 jobs, with an annual mean wage of $45,700. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 90 jobs and had an annual mean wage of $60,990.
Together, these figures show that the industry’s occupational footprint extends beyond the main painter classification. They include trade support, material handling, equipment-related work, transportation, and office operations. The counts are industry-specific estimates for May 2023, not current monthly payroll totals or projections.
For a concise reading of the available evidence, the industry had 38,280 employer establishments in 2023; its May 2023 occupational estimate counted 206,830 workers; and the BLS payroll series reported 212,800 employees in August 2026. Within the May 2023 estimate, painters, construction and maintenance represented 66.07% of employment, while the BLS forecast placed painter employment at 342,200 in 2024 and 355,200 in 2034. Each statistic answers a different question, so the date, geography, occupation, and measurement must stay attached to the figure.