Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Georgia

Median $23.24 an hour for 2,760 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$23.24/hrMedian hourly wageGeorgia, May data
$48,340/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.64 – $32.7210th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,760Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in Georgia: the full range

Wage percentiles, GeorgiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrGeorgia: 10th $17.64 · 25th $20.26 · median $23.24 · 75th $27.73 · 90th $32.72Georgia$23.24$17.64$32.72United 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: Georgia vs United States, May 2025.

Georgia ranks 29th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 34th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.13). 2,760 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.64 – $20.26$36,690 – $42,130roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$20.26 – $27.73$42,130 – $57,670the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$27.73 – $32.72$57,670 – $68,060the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Georgia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrAlbany: $29.58Albany$29.58Atlanta: $23.83Atlanta$23.83Chattanooga: $22.82Chattanooga$22.82Gainesville: $22.68Gainesville$22.68Savannah: $22.14Savannah$22.14Brunswick: $22.00Brunswick$22.00Macon: $21.86Macon$21.86Augusta: $19.75Augusta$19.75Athens: $19.74Athens$19.74Columbus: $19.28Columbus$19.28
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance by metro area in Georgia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Albany$17.61$29.58$36.387027% above
Atlanta$18.22$23.83$28.381,3403% above
Chattanooga$17.34$22.82$30.132302% below
Gainesville$17.16$22.68$27.28502% below
Savannah$17.12$22.14$27.171105% below
Brunswick$17.45$22.00$24.84805% below
Macon$17.47$21.86$25.06406% below
Augusta$15.38$19.75$26.2415015% below
Athens$16.06$19.74$27.565015% below
Columbus$16.00$19.28$24.459017% below

Painter wages in Georgia over time

Georgia, 1999-2025GeorgiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$23.24Georgia
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance, Georgia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearGeorgia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.05$27.15$12.866,760
2000$14.14$26.44$13.107,670
2001$13.93$25.32$13.667,310
2002$13.79$24.68$13.986,140
2003$13.62$23.83$14.126,030
2004$12.90$21.99$14.555,550
2005$13.34$21.99$14.815,340
2006$13.55$21.64$15.005,560
2007$14.17$22.00$15.425,560
2008$14.91$22.29$15.855,300
2009$15.07$22.61$16.214,640
2010$15.83$23.37$16.483,810
2011$16.19$23.17$17.043,510
2012$16.00$22.44$16.923,440
2013$16.26$22.47$17.014,130
2014$16.36$22.25$17.293,840
2015$16.94$23.01$17.594,360
2016$16.33$21.90$18.063,780
2017$17.61$23.13$18.253,410
2018$18.49$23.71$18.723,140
2019$18.89$23.79$19.373,040
2020$18.87$23.47$20.253,020
2021$17.90$21.27$21.923,190
2022$19.24$21.17$22.163,260
2023$21.56$22.78$22.943,350
2024$22.93$23.53$23.403,310
2025$23.24$23.24$23.752,760

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Georgia changed by +1.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Georgia

On federally funded construction in Georgia, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 18 of the 159 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $40.90 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.29). 67 of the 159 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Appling County at $17.62). The market median for the state is $23.24.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, GAUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$15.04$16.29$17.62survey 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)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50/hrStewart (Columbus): market median $19.28, prevailing (union) $40.90, gap +$21.62Stewart (Columbus)+$21.62Clarke (Athens): market median $19.74, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$3.45Clarke (Athens)−$3.45Burke (Augusta): market median $19.75, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$3.46Burke (Augusta)−$3.46Brantley (Brunswick): market median $22.00, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$5.71Brantley (Brunswick)−$5.71Bryan (Savannah): market median $22.14, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$5.85Bryan (Savannah)−$5.85Bibb (Macon): market median $21.86, prevailing (survey) $15.67, gap −$6.19Bibb (Macon)−$6.19Hall (Gainesville): market median $22.68, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$6.39Hall (Gainesville)−$6.39Catoosa (Chattanooga): market median $22.82, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$6.53Catoosa (Chattanooga)−$6.53Floyd (Georgia): market median $23.24, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$6.95Floyd (Georgia)−$6.95Barrow (Atlanta): market median $23.83, prevailing (survey) $16.29, gap −$7.54Barrow (Atlanta)−$7.54Dougherty (Albany): market median $29.58, prevailing (survey) $15.67, gap −$13.91Dougherty (Albany)−$13.91
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Georgia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BaldwinUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260084
BleckleyUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260086
CrispUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
DodgeUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
DoolyUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
LaurensUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260095
MaconUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
PutnamUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260098
SchleyUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
StewartUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
SumterUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
TalbotUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260100
TaylorUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106
TroupUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260103
UpsonUnion PAIN0193-001 2023-08-01$26.00$14.90$40.90GA20260106

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

Is construction work growing in Georgia?

233.3kConstruction jobsGeorgia, 2026-08
-1.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025233kAug 2026
Construction employment in Georgia (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Georgia

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Georgia?

The median painter in Georgia earned $23.24 an hour ($48,340 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $20.26–$27.73; the top 10% earn more than $32.72.

Where does Georgia rank for painter pay?

Georgia ranks 29th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.24 an hour, and 34th after adjusting for Georgia's cost of living (BEA price parity 96.3, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Georgia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 18 counties, with a typical package of $40.90 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Georgia?

BLS counted 2,760 painters, construction and maintenance in Georgia in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.39; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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