Painter salary in Arizona
Median $23.20 an hour for 5,210 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
Painter pay in Arizona: the full range
Arizona ranks 30th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.04). 5,210 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $19.32 – $21.81 | $40,180 – $45,370 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $21.81 – $28.16 | $45,370 – $58,560 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $28.16 – $30.59 | $58,560 – $63,640 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Arizona
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $19.61 | $23.49 | $31.06 | 3,920 | 1% above |
| Flagstaff | $19.63 | $22.56 | $28.09 | 160 | 3% below |
| Tucson | $18.29 | $21.63 | $30.46 | 620 | 7% below |
| Lake Havasu City | $18.52 | $21.36 | $27.19 | 90 | 8% below |
| Prescott Valley | $18.34 | $21.21 | $26.94 | 190 | 9% below |
| Sierra Vista | $15.28 | $19.45 | $24.62 | 40 | 16% below |
| Yuma | $16.50 | $19.03 | $24.88 | 60 | 18% below |
Painter wages in Arizona over time
Table
| Year | Arizona $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.84 | $22.88 | $12.86 | 5,700 |
| 2000 | $11.69 | $21.86 | $13.10 | 5,230 |
| 2001 | $11.96 | $21.74 | $13.66 | 5,620 |
| 2002 | $12.07 | $21.60 | $13.98 | 5,440 |
| 2003 | $12.20 | $21.35 | $14.12 | 5,460 |
| 2004 | $12.77 | $21.76 | $14.55 | 6,030 |
| 2005 | $13.43 | $22.14 | $14.81 | 7,720 |
| 2006 | $13.66 | $21.81 | $15.00 | 8,800 |
| 2007 | $14.15 | $21.97 | $15.42 | 9,110 |
| 2008 | $14.37 | $21.49 | $15.85 | 7,090 |
| 2009 | $15.02 | $22.54 | $16.21 | 5,870 |
| 2010 | $14.96 | $22.09 | $16.48 | 4,380 |
| 2011 | $15.81 | $22.63 | $17.04 | 4,300 |
| 2012 | $15.45 | $21.66 | $16.92 | 4,130 |
| 2013 | $16.40 | $22.66 | $17.01 | 4,890 |
| 2014 | $16.84 | $22.90 | $17.29 | 4,880 |
| 2015 | $16.69 | $22.67 | $17.59 | 4,260 |
| 2016 | $16.82 | $22.56 | $18.06 | 4,730 |
| 2017 | $17.24 | $22.64 | $18.25 | 4,740 |
| 2018 | $17.18 | $22.03 | $18.72 | 5,450 |
| 2019 | $17.75 | $22.35 | $19.37 | 5,610 |
| 2020 | $18.53 | $23.05 | $20.25 | 5,710 |
| 2021 | $18.52 | $22.00 | $21.92 | 6,210 |
| 2022 | $21.38 | $23.52 | $22.16 | 5,470 |
| 2023 | $22.58 | $23.86 | $22.94 | 6,130 |
| 2024 | $22.74 | $23.34 | $23.40 | 6,780 |
| 2025 | $23.20 | $23.20 | $23.75 | 5,210 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Arizona changed by +2.3% over the last ten years of data.
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Arizona
On federally funded construction in Arizona, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 15 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.13). 7 of the 15 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Apache County at $16.13). The market median for the state is $23.20.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinal | Survey SUAZ2019-004 2023-06-12 | $23.00 | $3.64 | $26.64 | AZ20260041 |
| Maricopa | Survey SUAZ2019-002 2023-06-12 | $19.85 | $3.54 | $23.39 | AZ20260039 |
| Coconino | Survey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12 | $16.48 | $0.00 | $16.48 | AZ20260043 |
| Mohave | Survey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12 | $16.48 | $0.00 | $16.48 | AZ20260043 |
| Yavapai | Survey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12 | $16.48 | $0.00 | $16.48 | AZ20260043 |
| Apache | Survey SUAZ2012-011 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260022 |
| Gila | Survey SUAZ2012-013 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260024 |
| Graham | Survey SUAZ2012-014 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260025 |
| Greenlee | Survey SUAZ2012-018 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260029 |
| La Paz | Survey SUAZ2012-018 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260029 |
| Navajo | Survey SUAZ2012-016 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260027 |
| Santa Cruz | Survey SUAZ2012-017 2012-05-30 | $16.13 | $0.00 | $16.13 | AZ20260028 |
| Cochise | Survey SUAZ2019-001 2023-06-12 | $15.00 | $0.00 | $15.00 | AZ20260038 |
| Pima | Survey SUAZ2019-003 2023-06-12 | $15.00 | $0.00 | $15.00 | AZ20260040 |
| Yuma | Survey SUAZ2019-005 2023-06-12 | $15.00 | $0.00 | $15.00 | AZ20260042 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Arizona prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Arizona?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Arizona
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in Arizona?
The median painter in Arizona earned $23.20 an hour ($48,250 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $21.81–$28.16; the top 10% earn more than $30.59.
Where does Arizona rank for painter pay?
Arizona ranks 30th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.20 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.7, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in Arizona?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most Arizona counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in Arizona?
BLS counted 5,210 painters, construction and maintenance in Arizona in May 2025, 1.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.11; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arizona and metro areas, SOC 47-2141.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.