How much does a painter make in Ohio?
In Ohio, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $26.21 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $23.77 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$26.21
$23.77
$26.64
$0.43 less an hour
$54,517
By the hour, the week and the year in Ohio
At 40 hours a week, the average of $26.21 an hour comes to $1,048.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $54,517 a year, and the median of $23.77 to $49,442 a year.
In Ohio, the average is $2.44 above the median (10.3%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $23.77 an hour or less.
How does Ohio compare?
The average in Ohio is $0.43 below the national average of $26.64 (1.6% less), about $894 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Ohio ranks 22 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
Ohio and its Census division, East North Central
By average wage, Ohio ranks 3 of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Illinois, $33.48, and the lowest Indiana, $25.48.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $33.48 | $29.45 | +$7.27 |
| Michigan | $26.88 | $24.35 | +$0.67 |
| Ohio | $26.21 | $23.77 | |
| Wisconsin | $26.05 | $24.08 | -$0.16 |
| Indiana | $25.48 | $24.16 | -$0.73 |
This trade and the others in Ohio
Of the 5 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 3 of the 5 by average wage in Ohio. Among them, the average runs from $15.68 (Cleaning) to $30.67 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $30.67 | $30.28 | +$4.46 |
| Drywall | $29.36 | $29.53 | +$3.15 |
| Painting | $26.21 | $23.77 | |
| Landscaping | $19.18 | $18.38 | -$7.03 |
| Cleaning | $15.68 | $15.47 | -$10.53 |
Against the minimum wage in Ohio
The minimum wage in Ohio is $11.00 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $23.77, is $12.77 above it, 2.2 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $22,880 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 Ohio, $23.77 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $190.16 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $341.76; 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.