Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Florida

Median $22.85 an hour for 22,450 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$22.85/hrMedian hourly wageFlorida, May data
$47,530/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.65 – $29.4710th to 90th percentilehourly range
22,450Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Painter pay in Florida: the full range

Wage percentiles, FloridaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrFlorida: 10th $17.65 · 25th $19.20 · median $22.85 · 75th $24.10 · 90th $29.47Florida$22.85$17.65$29.47United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Florida vs United States, May 2025.

Florida ranks 33rd of 51 states for median painter pay, and 49th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.10). 22,450 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.65 – $19.20$36,700 – $39,940roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$19.20 – $24.10$39,940 – $50,130the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$24.10 – $29.47$50,130 – $61,300the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Florida

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrPalm Bay: $23.61Palm Bay$23.61Naples: $23.37Naples$23.37Miami: $23.31Miami$23.31Sarasota: $23.30Sarasota$23.30Jacksonville: $23.09Jacksonville$23.09Fort Walton Beach: $23.04Fort Walton Beach$23.04Wildwood: $22.98Wildwood$22.98Port St. Lucie: $22.95Port St. Lucie$22.95Tampa: $22.87Tampa$22.87Punta Gorda: $22.78Punta Gorda$22.78Vero Beach: $22.58Vero Beach$22.58Cape Coral: $22.52Cape Coral$22.52
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Florida, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Palm Bay$18.18$23.61$23.61$31.834603% above
Naples$18.67$23.37$22.65$27.681,2902% above
Miami$18.19$23.31$20.41$31.556,2102% above
Sarasota$17.87$23.30$22.75$24.361,0402% above
Jacksonville$17.93$23.09$23.21$28.251,4201% above
Fort Walton Beach$18.41$23.04$23.75$28.312301% above
Wildwood$16.28$22.98$26.91$27.17501% above
Port St. Lucie$17.46$22.95$22.90$28.23550about the same as
Tampa$17.72$22.87$22.67$28.303,080about the same as
Punta Gorda$17.36$22.78$22.67$28.29210about the same as
Vero Beach$17.85$22.58$22.97$27.973201% below
Cape Coral$17.94$22.52$22.01$28.891,5201% below
Gainesville$17.37$22.52$23.29$28.202001% below
Daytona Beach$17.00$22.33$22.46$27.764502% below
Sebring$17.16$22.32$24.13$26.76402% below
Lakeland$16.88$22.27$22.94$27.615103% below
Pensacola$17.53$22.09$22.61$27.654203% below
Panama City$16.06$22.03$22.64$27.192104% below
Ocala$17.37$21.89$22.99$28.072704% below
Orlando$16.94$21.73$21.43$29.402,8405% below
Homosassa Springs$16.92$21.41$22.90$27.221006% below
Tallahassee$17.08$21.19$22.57$25.913107% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Painter wages in Florida over time

Florida, 1999-2025FloridaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$22.85Florida
Median hourly wage for painters, Florida vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearFlorida $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.03$21.31$12.8616,010
2000$11.88$22.21$13.1015,920
2001$12.19$22.16$13.6616,190
2002$12.59$22.53$13.9816,580
2003$12.79$22.38$14.1215,770
2004$12.68$21.61$14.5517,800
2005$12.74$21.00$14.8120,600
2006$13.23$21.13$15.0024,350
2007$14.06$21.83$15.4222,660
2008$14.48$21.65$15.8520,060
2009$14.68$22.03$16.2116,310
2010$14.30$21.11$16.4813,570
2011$14.63$20.94$17.0412,530
2012$14.60$20.47$16.9213,140
2013$14.88$20.56$17.0114,750
2014$14.40$19.58$17.2915,420
2015$14.26$19.37$17.5916,960
2016$14.88$19.96$18.0617,700
2017$15.81$20.77$18.2518,280
2018$16.47$21.12$18.7217,770
2019$16.98$21.38$19.3718,950
2020$17.39$21.63$20.2519,010
2021$17.98$21.36$21.9218,850
2022$18.35$20.19$22.1619,400
2023$18.93$20.00$22.9419,930
2024$22.14$22.72$23.4020,910
2025$22.85$22.85$23.7522,450

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Florida changed by +18.0% over the last ten years of data and by +6.9% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Florida?

+18.5%Jobs since 201918,950 then, 22,450 in 2025
+32.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.6× the US share, 8th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of painters counted in Florida has changed by +40.2%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +18.5%.

Painters, construction and maintenance in Florida vs United States, 1999 = 100FloridaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages5075100125150175200020052010201520202025140Florida86United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Florida vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearFlorida jobsFlorida indexUS index
199916,010100100
200015,92099100
200116,19010198
200216,58010499
200315,7709895
200417,80011196
200520,60012996
200624,350152101
200722,660142100
200820,06012596
200916,31010282
201013,5708573
201112,5307871
201213,1408271
201314,7509274
201415,4209678
201516,96010682
201617,70011183
201718,28011485
201817,77011188
201918,95011889
202019,01011984
202118,85011882
202219,40012183
202319,93012483
202420,91013186
202522,45014086

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for painters in Florida

+12.0%Projected growth in Florida2024–2034, state agency
2,920Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
31,280Jobs in 202435,040 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Florida's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +12.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 31,280 to 35,040, with about 2,920 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 22,450 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Florida labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Florida

On federally funded construction in Florida, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 6 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $41.78 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.55). 61 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Alachua County at $17.67). The market median for the state is $22.85.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, FLAlachua: $17.67 (survey)Baker: $17.67 (survey)Bay: $16.55 (survey)Bradford: $10.10 (survey)Brevard: $13.22 (survey)Broward: $19.48 (survey)Calhoun: $10.10 (survey)Charlotte: $16.85 (survey)Citrus: $16.85 (survey)Clay: $17.67 (survey)Collier: $16.85 (survey)Columbia: $10.42 (survey)DeSoto: $30.36 (union)Dixie: $10.42 (survey)Duval: $17.67 (survey)Escambia: $16.55 (survey)Flagler: $13.54 (survey)Franklin: $10.10 (survey)Gadsden: $16.55 (survey)Gilchrist: $17.67 (survey)Glades: $41.78 (union)Gulf: $16.55 (survey)Hamilton: $10.42 (survey)Hardee: $30.36 (union)Hendry: $41.78 (union)Hernando: $16.85 (survey)Highlands: $13.54 (survey)Hillsborough: $16.85 (survey)Holmes: $10.10 (survey)Indian River: $17.01 (survey)Jackson: $10.10 (survey)Jefferson: $16.55 (survey)Lafayette: $10.10 (survey)Lake: $13.22 (survey)Lee: $16.85 (survey)Leon: $16.55 (survey)Levy: $10.10 (survey)Liberty: $10.10 (survey)Madison: $10.42 (survey)Manatee: $16.85 (survey)Marion: $17.67 (survey)Martin: $17.01 (survey)Miami-Dade: $19.48 (survey)Monroe: $41.78 (union)Nassau: $17.67 (survey)Okaloosa: $16.55 (survey)Okeechobee: $41.78 (union)Orange: $13.22 (survey)Osceola: $13.22 (survey)Palm Beach: $19.48 (survey)Pasco: $16.85 (survey)Pinellas: $16.85 (survey)Polk: $13.54 (survey)Putnam: $10.42 (survey)St. Johns: $17.67 (survey)St. Lucie: $17.01 (survey)Santa Rosa: $16.55 (survey)Sarasota: $16.85 (survey)Seminole: $13.22 (survey)Sumter: $13.54 (survey)Suwannee: $10.10 (survey)Taylor: $10.42 (survey)Union: $10.10 (survey)Volusia: $13.54 (survey)Wakulla: $16.55 (survey)Walton: $16.55 (survey)Washington: $10.10 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$10.42$14.74$16.85$17.67survey 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 (survey)$10$15$20$25/hrBroward (Miami): market median $23.31, prevailing (survey) $19.48, gap −$3.83Broward (Miami)−$3.83Marion (Ocala): market median $21.89, prevailing (survey) $17.67, gap −$4.22Marion (Ocala)−$4.22Citrus (Homosassa Springs): market median $21.41, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$4.56Citrus (Homosassa Springs)−$4.56Gadsden (Tallahassee): market median $21.19, prevailing (survey) $16.55, gap −$4.64Gadsden (Tallahassee)−$4.64Alachua (Gainesville): market median $22.52, prevailing (survey) $17.67, gap −$4.85Alachua (Gainesville)−$4.85Baker (Jacksonville): market median $23.09, prevailing (survey) $17.67, gap −$5.42Baker (Jacksonville)−$5.42Bay (Panama City): market median $22.03, prevailing (survey) $16.55, gap −$5.48Bay (Panama City)−$5.48Escambia (Pensacola): market median $22.09, prevailing (survey) $16.55, gap −$5.54Escambia (Pensacola)−$5.54Indian River (Vero Beach): market median $22.58, prevailing (survey) $17.01, gap −$5.57Indian River (Vero Beach)−$5.57Lee (Cape Coral): market median $22.52, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$5.67Lee (Cape Coral)−$5.67Charlotte (Punta Gorda): market median $22.78, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$5.93Charlotte (Punta Gorda)−$5.93Martin (Port St. Lucie): market median $22.95, prevailing (survey) $17.01, gap −$5.94Martin (Port St. Lucie)−$5.94Hernando (Tampa): market median $22.87, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$6.02Hernando (Tampa)−$6.02Manatee (Sarasota): market median $23.30, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$6.45Manatee (Sarasota)−$6.45Okaloosa (Fort Walton Beach): market median $23.04, prevailing (survey) $16.55, gap −$6.49Okaloosa (Fort Walton Beach)−$6.49Collier (Naples): market median $23.37, prevailing (survey) $16.85, gap −$6.52Collier (Naples)−$6.52Polk (Lakeland): market median $22.27, prevailing (survey) $13.54, gap −$8.73Polk (Lakeland)−$8.73Highlands (Sebring): market median $22.32, prevailing (survey) $13.54, gap −$8.78Highlands (Sebring)−$8.78Flagler (Daytona Beach): market median $22.33, prevailing (survey) $13.54, gap −$8.79Flagler (Daytona Beach)−$8.79Sumter (Wildwood): market median $22.98, prevailing (survey) $13.54, gap −$9.44Sumter (Wildwood)−$9.44
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Florida.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
GladesUnion PAIN0452-006 2025-08-01$27.00$14.78$41.78FL20260012
HendryUnion PAIN0452-006 2025-08-01$27.00$14.78$41.78FL20260015
MonroeUnion PAIN0365-004 2025-08-01$27.00$14.78$41.78FL20260022
OkeechobeeUnion PAIN0452-006 2025-08-01$27.00$14.78$41.78FL20260023
DeSotoUnion PAIN0088-005 2021-06-01$18.00$12.36$30.36FL20260009
HardeeUnion PAIN0088-005 2021-06-01$18.00$12.36$30.36FL20260014
BrowardSurvey SUFL2014-005 2016-08-16$16.00$3.48$19.48FL20260197
Miami-DadeSurvey SUFL2014-024 2016-08-16$16.00$3.48$19.48FL20260215
Palm BeachSurvey SUFL2014-029 2016-08-16$16.00$3.48$19.48FL20260220
AlachuaSurvey SUFL2014-001 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260194
BakerSurvey SUFL2014-002 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260195
ClaySurvey SUFL2014-008 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260200
DuvalSurvey SUFL2014-010 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260202
GilchristSurvey SUFL2014-013 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260205
MarionSurvey SUFL2014-022 2016-08-16$15.62$2.05$17.67FL20260213

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Florida prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Florida?

657.0kConstruction jobsFlorida, 2026-09
+0.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k19901995200020052010201520202025657kSep 2026
Construction employment in Florida (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Florida

More on Florida

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Florida?

The median painter in Florida earned $22.85 an hour ($47,530 a year) in May 2025, 4% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $19.20–$24.10; the top 10% earn more than $29.47.

Where does Florida rank for painter pay?

Florida ranks 33rd of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $22.85 an hour, and 49th after adjusting for Florida's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.4, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Florida?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 6 counties, with a typical package of $41.78 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Florida?

BLS counted 22,450 painters in Florida in May 2025, 2.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.56; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Florida?

The BLS employer survey count of painters in Florida went from 16,960 in 2015 to 22,450 in 2025, +32.4%, and +18.5% since 2019. Florida's labor market agency projects +12.0% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 31,280 to 35,040 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Florida?

Florida projects about 2,920 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, Florida 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Florida labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.