How much does a painter make in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $29.92 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $28.61 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$29.92
$28.61
$26.64
$3.28 more an hour
$62,234
By the hour, the week and the year in District of Columbia
At 40 hours a week, the average of $29.92 an hour comes to $1,196.80 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $62,234 a year, and the median of $28.61 to $59,509 a year.
In District of Columbia, the average is $1.31 above the median (4.6%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $28.61 an hour or less.
How does District of Columbia compare?
The average in District of Columbia is $3.28 above the national average of $26.64 (12.3% more), about $6,822 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, District of Columbia ranks 8 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
District of Columbia and its Census division, South Atlantic
Of the 9 states of the division with data for this trade, District of Columbia pays the highest average, $29.92; next comes Delaware with $27.35.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $29.92 | $28.61 | |
| Delaware | $27.35 | $28.14 | -$2.57 |
| Maryland | $26.76 | $23.62 | -$3.16 |
| Georgia | $24.30 | $23.24 | -$5.62 |
| Virginia | $23.61 | $22.82 | -$6.31 |
| Florida | $23.29 | $22.85 | -$6.63 |
| North Carolina | $21.59 | $21.21 | -$8.33 |
| West Virginia | $21.53 | $21.26 | -$8.39 |
| South Carolina | $20.22 | $19.64 | -$9.70 |
This trade and the others in District of Columbia
Of the 4 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 2 of the 4 by average wage in District of Columbia. Among them, the average runs from $21.83 (Cleaning) to $30.90 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $30.90 | $29.65 | +$0.98 |
| Painting | $29.92 | $28.61 | |
| Landscaping | $24.62 | $23.46 | -$5.30 |
| Cleaning | $21.83 | $20.32 | -$8.09 |
Against the minimum wage in District of Columbia
The minimum wage in District of Columbia is $18.40 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $28.61, is $10.21 above it, 55.5% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $38,272 a year.
From wage to rate
This is what an employer pays an employee, not what a contractor bills. Your rate also has to cover your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools), your profit, and the hours you cannot bill.
If you pay a helper the median wage in District of Columbia, $28.61 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $228.88 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $390.74; at the national median, $23.75, the same job comes to $341.55. A wage is only the floor: your own rate also pays your taxes, your unbilled hours and your business.