Painter salary in Alaska
Median $29.32 an hour for 440 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Painter pay in Alaska: the full range
Alaska ranks 3rd of 51 states for median painter pay, and 7th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.63). 440 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.09 – $26.30 | $43,880 – $54,710 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $26.30 – $35.85 | $54,710 – $74,570 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $35.85 – $41.08 | $74,570 – $85,440 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Alaska
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | $21.44 | $29.53 | $28.61 | $42.18 | 50 | 1% above |
| Anchorage | $21.09 | $29.02 | $27.53 | $39.01 | 330 | 1% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Painter wages in Alaska over time
Table
| Year | Alaska $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.56 | $30.07 | $12.86 | 280 |
| 2000 | $16.50 | $30.85 | $13.10 | 410 |
| 2001 | $18.80 | $34.18 | $13.66 | 460 |
| 2002 | $20.31 | $36.35 | $13.98 | 500 |
| 2003 | $20.34 | $35.59 | $14.12 | 570 |
| 2004 | $21.80 | $37.15 | $14.55 | 530 |
| 2005 | $22.89 | $37.73 | $14.81 | 510 |
| 2006 | $19.78 | $31.59 | $15.00 | 520 |
| 2007 | $17.94 | $27.86 | $15.42 | 460 |
| 2008 | $19.59 | $29.29 | $15.85 | 460 |
| 2009 | $21.62 | $32.44 | $16.21 | 500 |
| 2010 | $22.30 | $32.92 | $16.48 | 430 |
| 2011 | $23.05 | $32.99 | $17.04 | 430 |
| 2012 | $22.57 | $31.65 | $16.92 | 430 |
| 2013 | $22.73 | $31.41 | $17.01 | 550 |
| 2014 | $22.83 | $31.05 | $17.29 | 440 |
| 2015 | $26.28 | $35.70 | $17.59 | 520 |
| 2016 | $27.19 | $36.47 | $18.06 | 380 |
| 2017 | $28.03 | $36.81 | $18.25 | 470 |
| 2018 | $26.76 | $34.31 | $18.72 | 370 |
| 2019 | $27.59 | $34.74 | $19.37 | 410 |
| 2020 | $28.35 | $35.27 | $20.25 | 350 |
| 2021 | $23.49 | $27.91 | $21.92 | 450 |
| 2022 | $27.70 | $30.47 | $22.16 | 390 |
| 2023 | $33.28 | $35.16 | $22.94 | 360 |
| 2024 | $31.54 | $32.37 | $23.40 | 400 |
| 2025 | $29.32 | $29.32 | $23.75 | 440 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Alaska changed by -17.9% over the last ten years of data and by -15.6% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in Alaska?
BLS counted 440 painters in Alaska in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 25%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for painters in Alaska
Alaska's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by -2.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 540 to 530, with about 40 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 440 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Alaska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Alaska
On federally funded construction in Alaska, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 30 of the 30 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $67.49 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $29.32.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleutians East | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Aleutians West | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Anchorage | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Bethel | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Bristol Bay | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Chugach | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Copper River | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Denali | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Dillingham | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Fairbanks North Star | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Haines | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Hoonah-Angoon | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Juneau | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Kenai Peninsula | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Ketchikan Gateway | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Kodiak Island | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Kusilvak | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Lake and Peninsula | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Matanuska-Susitna | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Nome | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| North Slope | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Northwest Arctic | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Petersburg | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Sitka | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Skagway | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Southeast Fairbanks | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Wrangell | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Yakutat | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | Union PAIN1959-002 2025-07-01 | $37.29 | $30.20 | $67.49 | AK20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alaska prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Alaska?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Alaska
More on Alaska
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in Alaska?
The median painter in Alaska earned $29.32 an hour ($60,980 a year) in May 2025, 23% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $26.30–$35.85; the top 10% earn more than $41.08.
Where does Alaska rank for painter pay?
Alaska ranks 3rd of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $29.32 an hour, and 7th after adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.4, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in Alaska?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 30 counties, with a typical package of $67.49 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many painters work in Alaska?
BLS counted 440 painters in Alaska in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in Alaska?
Alaska's labor market agency projects -2.2% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 540 to 530 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in Alaska?
Alaska projects about 40 openings a year for painters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 24,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alaska and metro areas, SOC 47-2141. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Alaska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.