How much does a painter make in Oregon?
In Oregon, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $25.76 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $23.51 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$25.76
$23.51
$26.64
$0.88 less an hour
$53,581
By the hour, the week and the year in Oregon
At 40 hours a week, the average of $25.76 an hour comes to $1,030.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $53,581 a year, and the median of $23.51 to $48,901 a year.
In Oregon, the average is $2.25 above the median (9.6%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $23.51 an hour or less.
How does Oregon compare?
The average in Oregon is $0.88 below the national average of $26.64 (3.3% less), about $1,830 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Oregon ranks 25 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
Oregon and its Census division, Pacific
Of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade, Oregon pays the lowest average, $25.76; the next is Washington with $29.28.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $34.28 | $32.80 | +$8.52 |
| Alaska | $30.87 | $29.32 | +$5.11 |
| California | $30.03 | $28.38 | +$4.27 |
| Washington | $29.28 | $28.68 | +$3.52 |
| Oregon | $25.76 | $23.51 |
This trade and the others in Oregon
Of the 5 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 3 of the 5 by average wage in Oregon. Among them, the average runs from $19.00 (Cleaning) to $36.43 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $36.43 | $35.35 | +$10.67 |
| Concrete | $33.78 | $32.95 | +$8.02 |
| Painting | $25.76 | $23.51 | |
| Landscaping | $22.04 | $21.65 | -$3.72 |
| Cleaning | $19.00 | $18.07 | -$6.76 |
Against the minimum wage in Oregon
The minimum wage in Oregon is $15.55 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $23.51, is $7.96 above it, 51.2% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $32,344 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 Oregon, $23.51 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $188.08 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $339.12; 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.