How much does a painter make in Maryland?
In Maryland, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $26.76 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $23.62 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$26.76
$23.62
$26.64
$0.12 more an hour
$55,661
By the hour, the week and the year in Maryland
At 40 hours a week, the average of $26.76 an hour comes to $1,070.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $55,661 a year, and the median of $23.62 to $49,130 a year.
In Maryland, the average is $3.14 above the median (13.3%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $23.62 an hour or less.
How does Maryland compare?
The average in Maryland is $0.12 above the national average of $26.64 (0.5% more), about $250 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Maryland ranks 19 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
Maryland and its Census division, South Atlantic
By average wage, Maryland ranks 3 of the 9 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is District of Columbia, $29.92, and the lowest South Carolina, $20.22.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $29.92 | $28.61 | +$3.16 |
| Delaware | $27.35 | $28.14 | +$0.59 |
| Maryland | $26.76 | $23.62 | |
| Georgia | $24.30 | $23.24 | -$2.46 |
| Virginia | $23.61 | $22.82 | -$3.15 |
| Florida | $23.29 | $22.85 | -$3.47 |
| North Carolina | $21.59 | $21.21 | -$5.17 |
| West Virginia | $21.53 | $21.26 | -$5.23 |
| South Carolina | $20.22 | $19.64 | -$6.54 |
This trade and the others in Maryland
Of the 5 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in Maryland. Among them, the average runs from $17.40 (Cleaning) to $26.76 (Painting).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painting | $26.76 | $23.62 | |
| Drywall | $26.50 | $26.29 | -$0.26 |
| Concrete | $26.13 | $24.98 | -$0.63 |
| Landscaping | $20.86 | $18.93 | -$5.90 |
| Cleaning | $17.40 | $17.07 | -$9.36 |
Against the minimum wage in Maryland
The minimum wage in Maryland is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $23.62, is $8.62 above it, 57.5% 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 Maryland, $23.62 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $188.96 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $340.24; 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.