How much does a painter make in Illinois?
In Illinois, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $33.48 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $29.45 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$33.48
$29.45
$26.64
$6.84 more an hour
$69,638
By the hour, the week and the year in Illinois
At 40 hours a week, the average of $33.48 an hour comes to $1,339.20 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $69,638 a year, and the median of $29.45 to $61,256 a year.
In Illinois, the average is $4.03 above the median (13.7%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $29.45 an hour or less.
How does Illinois compare?
The average in Illinois is $6.84 above the national average of $26.64 (25.7% more), about $14,227 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Illinois ranks 2 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
Illinois and its Census division, East North Central
Of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade, Illinois pays the highest average, $33.48; next comes Michigan with $26.88.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $33.48 | $29.45 | |
| Michigan | $26.88 | $24.35 | -$6.60 |
| Ohio | $26.21 | $23.77 | -$7.27 |
| Wisconsin | $26.05 | $24.08 | -$7.43 |
| Indiana | $25.48 | $24.16 | -$8.00 |
This trade and the others in Illinois
Of the 5 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 3 of the 5 by average wage in Illinois. Among them, the average runs from $18.73 (Cleaning) to $37.40 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $37.40 | $37.58 | +$3.92 |
| Drywall | $34.95 | $30.38 | +$1.47 |
| Painting | $33.48 | $29.45 | |
| Landscaping | $21.54 | $21.05 | -$11.94 |
| Cleaning | $18.73 | $17.49 | -$14.75 |
Against the minimum wage in Illinois
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $29.45, is $14.45 above it, 96.3% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $31,200 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 Illinois, $29.45 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $235.60 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $399.23; 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.