Painter salary in Delaware
Median $28.14 an hour for 480 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
Painter pay in Delaware: the full range
Delaware ranks 10th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 8th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.20). 480 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $16.86 – $24.36 | $35,070 – $50,680 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.36 – $29.66 | $50,680 – $61,700 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $29.66 – $33.82 | $61,700 – $70,350 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Delaware
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $18.04 | $27.60 | $37.00 | 3,360 | 2% below |
| Dover | $16.38 | $24.27 | $26.58 | 30 | 14% below |
Painter wages in Delaware over time
Table
| Year | Delaware $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $16.21 | $31.32 | $12.86 | 1,070 |
| 2000 | $14.41 | $26.94 | $13.10 | 900 |
| 2001 | $15.36 | $27.92 | $13.66 | 770 |
| 2002 | $15.64 | $27.99 | $13.98 | 790 |
| 2003 | $15.91 | $27.84 | $14.12 | 740 |
| 2004 | $17.03 | $29.02 | $14.55 | 620 |
| 2005 | $17.62 | $29.05 | $14.81 | 660 |
| 2006 | $16.57 | $26.46 | $15.00 | 670 |
| 2007 | $15.81 | $24.55 | $15.42 | 700 |
| 2008 | $15.92 | $23.81 | $15.85 | 840 |
| 2009 | $16.78 | $25.18 | $16.21 | 690 |
| 2010 | $16.88 | $24.92 | $16.48 | 600 |
| 2011 | $17.43 | $24.95 | $17.04 | 560 |
| 2012 | $17.22 | $24.15 | $16.92 | 610 |
| 2013 | $17.91 | $24.75 | $17.01 | 550 |
| 2014 | $18.19 | $24.74 | $17.29 | 480 |
| 2015 | $18.51 | $25.14 | $17.59 | 430 |
| 2016 | $18.56 | $24.90 | $18.06 | 420 |
| 2017 | $19.46 | $25.56 | $18.25 | 440 |
| 2018 | $19.84 | $25.44 | $18.72 | 530 |
| 2019 | $19.87 | $25.02 | $19.37 | 630 |
| 2020 | $18.75 | $23.32 | $20.25 | 640 |
| 2021 | $18.05 | $21.45 | $21.92 | 570 |
| 2022 | $19.53 | $21.48 | $22.16 | 530 |
| 2023 | $22.89 | $24.19 | $22.94 | 510 |
| 2024 | $26.81 | $27.52 | $23.40 | 530 |
| 2025 | $28.14 | $28.14 | $23.75 | 480 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Delaware changed by +11.9% over the last ten years of data.
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Delaware
On federally funded construction in Delaware, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 3 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $41.51). 3 of the 3 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Kent County at $41.51). The market median for the state is $28.14.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | Survey SUDE2014-004 2016-01-20 | $40.57 | $0.94 | $41.51 | DE20260007 |
| Sussex | Survey SUDE2014-006 2016-01-20 | $40.57 | $0.94 | $41.51 | DE20260009 |
| New Castle | Survey SUDE2014-005 2016-01-20 | $38.80 | $0.91 | $39.71 | DE20260008 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Delaware prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Delaware?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Delaware
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in Delaware?
The median painter in Delaware earned $28.14 an hour ($58,530 a year) in May 2025, 18% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $24.36–$29.66; the top 10% earn more than $33.82.
Where does Delaware rank for painter pay?
Delaware ranks 10th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $28.14 an hour, and 8th after adjusting for Delaware's cost of living (BEA price parity 99.8, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in Delaware?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most Delaware counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in Delaware?
BLS counted 480 painters, construction and maintenance in Delaware in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.68; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Delaware 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.