Skilled Wages

Painter salary in California

Median $28.38 an hour for 38,430 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$28.38/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$59,020/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.26 – $43.7510th to 90th percentilehourly range
38,430Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Painter pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrCalifornia: 10th $20.26 · 25th $22.85 · median $28.38 · 75th $35.11 · 90th $43.75California$28.38$20.26$43.75United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters, construction and maintenance: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 9th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 23rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.64). 38,430 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$20.26 – $22.85$42,130 – $47,520roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.85 – $35.11$47,520 – $73,040the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.11 – $43.75$73,040 – $91,000the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrHanford: $30.67Hanford$30.67San Francisco: $30.58San Francisco$30.58Santa Rosa: $30.19Santa Rosa$30.19Santa Cruz: $30.00Santa Cruz$30.00Vallejo: $29.99Vallejo$29.99San Jose: $29.79San Jose$29.79Napa: $29.52Napa$29.52Salinas: $29.26Salinas$29.26Sacramento: $28.61Sacramento$28.61San Luis Obispo: $28.43San Luis Obispo$28.43Los Angeles: $28.41Los Angeles$28.41Yuba City: $28.31Yuba City$28.31
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Hanford$18.30$30.67$39.84408% above
San Francisco$23.11$30.58$48.345,3108% above
Santa Rosa$22.63$30.19$45.667306% above
Santa Cruz$20.52$30.00$38.732306% above
Vallejo$23.06$29.99$47.684106% above
San Jose$23.41$29.79$46.492,4105% above
Napa$22.78$29.52$44.292704% above
Salinas$20.36$29.26$37.745203% above
Sacramento$20.25$28.61$44.982,4101% above
San Luis Obispo$18.69$28.43$49.14400about the same as
Los Angeles$20.26$28.41$40.9312,100about the same as
Yuba City$18.11$28.31$37.5160about the same as
Bakersfield$18.58$28.15$43.685201% below
Merced$18.01$27.99$37.37801% below
El Centro$17.33$27.52$39.84503% below
Santa Maria$19.44$27.12$37.578704% below
San Diego$21.33$26.91$40.164,0405% below
Redding$18.21$26.00$38.701308% below
Oxnard$18.54$25.70$37.729509% below
Fresno$18.09$25.34$37.0268011% below
Stockton$18.45$24.18$37.0159015% below
Modesto$19.07$23.54$37.0448017% below
Riverside$18.29$23.51$39.583,75017% below
Chico$18.44$22.66$36.3424020% below
Visalia$18.01$21.06$35.1425026% below

Painter wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$28.38California$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.46$26.01$12.8638,000
2000$13.75$25.71$13.1039,080
2001$14.71$26.74$13.6638,310
2002$14.80$26.49$13.9838,550
2003$15.02$26.28$14.1238,190
2004$15.52$26.45$14.5538,640
2005$16.08$26.51$14.8138,890
2006$17.09$27.29$15.0042,270
2007$18.13$28.15$15.4240,110
2008$18.76$28.05$15.8537,000
2009$19.21$28.83$16.2129,240
2010$19.11$28.21$16.4825,250
2011$19.64$28.11$17.0423,930
2012$19.43$27.25$16.9224,970
2013$19.88$27.47$17.0127,220
2014$19.68$26.76$17.2930,810
2015$20.41$27.72$17.5932,450
2016$21.24$28.49$18.0635,210
2017$21.66$28.45$18.2535,070
2018$22.81$29.24$18.7237,330
2019$23.92$30.12$19.3738,510
2020$24.50$30.48$20.2537,170
2021$23.20$27.56$21.9235,780
2022$23.96$26.36$22.1636,100
2023$27.69$29.26$22.9434,080
2024$27.62$28.35$23.4037,780
2025$28.38$28.38$23.7538,430

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in California changed by +2.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $66.25 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $25.46). 6 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $19.24). The market median for the state is $28.38.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $85.04 (union)Alpine: $66.25 (union)Amador: $19.24 (survey)Butte: $66.25 (union)Calaveras: $85.04 (union)Colusa: $66.25 (union)Contra Costa: $85.04 (union)Del Norte: $25.46 (survey)El Dorado: $66.25 (union)Fresno: $85.04 (union)Glenn: $66.25 (union)Humboldt: $25.46 (survey)Imperial: $57.16 (union)Inyo: $60.46 (union)Kern: $60.46 (union)Kings: $85.04 (union)Lake: $25.46 (survey)Lassen: $66.25 (union)Los Angeles: $57.16 (union)Madera: $85.04 (union)Marin: $66.25 (union)Mariposa: $85.04 (union)Mendocino: $25.46 (survey)Merced: $85.04 (union)Modoc: $66.25 (union)Mono: $60.46 (union)Monterey: $85.04 (union)Napa: $66.25 (union)Nevada: $66.25 (union)Orange: $57.16 (union)Placer: $66.25 (union)Plumas: $66.25 (union)Riverside: $57.16 (union)Sacramento: $66.25 (union)San Benito: $85.04 (union)San Bernardino: $57.16 (union)San Diego: $57.16 (union)San Francisco: $85.04 (union)San Joaquin: $85.04 (union)San Luis Obispo: $60.46 (union)San Mateo: $85.04 (union)Santa Barbara: $55.02 (union)Santa Clara: $85.04 (union)Santa Cruz: $85.04 (union)Shasta: $66.25 (union)Sierra: $66.25 (union)Siskiyou: $66.25 (union)Solano: $66.25 (union)Sonoma: $66.25 (union)Stanislaus: $85.04 (union)Sutter: $66.25 (union)Tehama: $66.25 (union)Trinity: $66.25 (union)Tulare: $9.87 (survey)Tuolumne: $85.04 (union)Ventura: $60.46 (union)Yolo: $66.25 (union)Yuba: $66.25 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$57.16$66.25survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for painters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrStanislaus (Modesto): market median $23.54, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$61.50Stanislaus (Modesto)+$61.50San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $24.18, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$60.86San Joaquin (Stockton)+$60.86Fresno (Fresno): market median $25.34, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$59.70Fresno (Fresno)+$59.70Merced (Merced): market median $27.99, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$57.05Merced (Merced)+$57.05Monterey (Salinas): market median $29.26, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$55.78Monterey (Salinas)+$55.78San Benito (San Jose): market median $29.79, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$55.25San Benito (San Jose)+$55.25Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $30.00, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$55.04Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$55.04Alameda (San Francisco): market median $30.58, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$54.46Alameda (San Francisco)+$54.46Kings (Hanford): market median $30.67, prevailing (union) $85.04, gap +$54.37Kings (Hanford)+$54.37Butte (Chico): market median $22.66, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$43.59Butte (Chico)+$43.59Shasta (Redding): market median $26.00, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$40.25Shasta (Redding)+$40.25Sutter (Yuba City): market median $28.31, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$37.94Sutter (Yuba City)+$37.94El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $28.61, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$37.64El Dorado (Sacramento)+$37.64Napa (Napa): market median $29.52, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$36.73Napa (Napa)+$36.73Solano (Vallejo): market median $29.99, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$36.26Solano (Vallejo)+$36.26Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $30.19, prevailing (union) $66.25, gap +$36.06Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$36.06Ventura (Oxnard): market median $25.70, prevailing (union) $60.46, gap +$34.76Ventura (Oxnard)+$34.76Kern (Bakersfield): market median $28.15, prevailing (union) $60.46, gap +$32.31Kern (Bakersfield)+$32.31San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $28.43, prevailing (union) $60.46, gap +$32.03San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$32.03Imperial (El Centro): market median $27.52, prevailing (union) $57.16, gap +$29.64Imperial (El Centro)+$29.64
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlamedaUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
CalaverasUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
Contra CostaUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
FresnoUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
KingsUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
MaderaUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
MariposaUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
MercedUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
MontereyUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
San BenitoUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
San FranciscoUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
San JoaquinUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
San MateoUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
Santa ClaraUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018
Santa CruzUnion PAIN0016-022 2025-01-01$57.00$28.04$85.04CA20260018

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

898.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-08
-1.4%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025899kAug 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in California?

The median painter in California earned $28.38 an hour ($59,020 a year) in May 2025, 19% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $22.85–$35.11; the top 10% earn more than $43.75.

Where does California rank for painter pay?

California ranks 9th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $28.38 an hour, and 23rd after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 52 counties, with a typical package of $66.25 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in California?

BLS counted 38,430 painters, construction and maintenance in California in May 2025, 2.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.46; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California 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.