How much does a painter make in Washington?
In Washington, painters in construction and maintenance earned an average of $29.28 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $28.68 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$29.28
$28.68
$26.64
$2.64 more an hour
$60,902
By the hour, the week and the year in Washington
At 40 hours a week, the average of $29.28 an hour comes to $1,171.20 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $60,902 a year, and the median of $28.68 to $59,654 a year.
In Washington, the average is $0.60 above the median (2.1%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of painters in construction and maintenance earn $28.68 an hour or less.
How does Washington compare?
The average in Washington is $2.64 above the national average of $26.64 (9.9% more), about $5,491 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Washington ranks 10 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $23.75 an hour.
Washington and its Census division, Pacific
By average wage, Washington ranks 4 of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Hawaii, $34.28, and the lowest Oregon, $25.76.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $34.28 | $32.80 | +$5.00 |
| Alaska | $30.87 | $29.32 | +$1.59 |
| California | $30.03 | $28.38 | +$0.75 |
| Washington | $29.28 | $28.68 | |
| Oregon | $25.76 | $23.51 | -$3.52 |
This trade and the others in Washington
Of the 5 trades this site prices, painters in construction and maintenance rank 3 of the 5 by average wage in Washington. Among them, the average runs from $20.61 (Cleaning) to $39.37 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $39.37 | $37.27 | +$10.09 |
| Drywall | $38.68 | $35.16 | +$9.40 |
| Painting | $29.28 | $28.68 | |
| Landscaping | $23.62 | $22.57 | -$5.66 |
| Cleaning | $20.61 | $20.28 | -$8.67 |
Against the minimum wage in Washington
The minimum wage in Washington is $17.13 an hour for most employers. The median of painters in construction and maintenance, $28.68, is $11.55 above it, 67.4% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $35,630 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 Washington, $28.68 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the painting calculator cost $229.44 in wages. With its $80.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $391.44; 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.