Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Indiana

Median $24.16 an hour for 3,510 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$24.16/hrMedian hourly wageIndiana, May data
$50,260/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.51 – $33.4310th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,510Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Painter pay in Indiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, IndianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrIndiana: 10th $17.51 · 25th $20.76 · median $24.16 · 75th $30.02 · 90th $33.43Indiana$24.16$17.51$33.43United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Indiana vs United States, May 2025.

Indiana ranks 22nd of 51 states for median painter pay, and 20th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.89). 3,510 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.51 – $20.76$36,410 – $43,180roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.76 – $30.02$43,180 – $62,450the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$30.02 – $33.43$62,450 – $69,520the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Indiana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrChicago: $29.68Chicago$29.68Columbus: $28.15Columbus$28.15Evansville: $26.16Evansville$26.16Bloomington: $25.60Bloomington$25.60Indianapolis: $24.47Indianapolis$24.47Cincinnati: $24.12Cincinnati$24.12Michigan City: $23.77Michigan City$23.77Muncie: $23.75Muncie$23.75Fort Wayne: $23.62Fort Wayne$23.62Louisville: $23.52Louisville$23.52South Bend: $23.47South Bend$23.47Elkhart: $23.10Elkhart$23.10
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Indiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Chicago$21.42$29.68$28.65$52.805,48023% above
Columbus$19.20$28.15$30.27$36.314017% above
Evansville$18.22$26.16$28.59$31.002508% above
Bloomington$18.26$25.60$26.92$30.87906% above
Indianapolis$17.43$24.47$25.57$33.421,2501% above
Cincinnati$18.30$24.12$25.28$34.30890about the same as
Michigan City$15.97$23.77$25.92$31.63402% below
Muncie$16.50$23.75$26.96$31.15402% below
Fort Wayne$17.34$23.62$25.51$32.662002% below
Louisville$18.26$23.52$25.26$31.195903% below
South Bend$17.55$23.47$25.26$32.921703% below
Elkhart$17.09$23.10$25.58$29.891304% below
Lafayette$17.48$22.11$23.67$29.601308% below
Terre Haute$17.13$22.06$25.13$29.49609% below

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

Painter wages in Indiana over time

Indiana, 1999-2025IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$24.16Indiana$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, Indiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIndiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.75$28.50$12.865,650
2000$13.21$24.70$13.105,690
2001$14.44$26.25$13.665,460
2002$14.89$26.65$13.985,540
2003$14.80$25.90$14.125,230
2004$14.98$25.53$14.555,650
2005$14.54$23.97$14.814,900
2006$15.01$23.97$15.004,920
2007$16.01$24.86$15.424,900
2008$15.81$23.64$15.854,650
2009$16.35$24.54$16.214,050
2010$15.54$22.94$16.483,430
2011$16.99$24.32$17.043,600
2012$17.22$24.15$16.923,710
2013$16.77$23.18$17.013,900
2014$18.22$24.78$17.293,850
2015$17.24$23.42$17.593,790
2016$19.33$25.93$18.063,810
2017$18.25$23.97$18.253,950
2018$19.21$24.63$18.723,920
2019$18.77$23.64$19.373,760
2020$19.29$24.00$20.253,220
2021$21.23$25.22$21.923,600
2022$21.38$23.52$22.163,460
2023$23.05$24.35$22.943,260
2024$24.05$24.68$23.403,570
2025$24.16$24.16$23.753,510

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Indiana changed by +3.2% over the last ten years of data and by +2.2% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Indiana?

-6.6%Jobs since 20193,760 then, 3,510 in 2025
-7.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 34th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of painters counted in Indiana has changed by -37.9%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -6.6%.

Painters, construction and maintenance in Indiana vs United States, 1999 = 100IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages40608010012020002005201020152020202586United States62Indiana
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Indiana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearIndiana jobsIndiana indexUS index
19995,650100100
20005,690101100
20015,4609798
20025,5409899
20035,2309395
20045,65010096
20054,9008796
20064,92087101
20074,90087100
20084,6508296
20094,0507282
20103,4306173
20113,6006471
20123,7106671
20133,9006974
20143,8506878
20153,7906782
20163,8106783
20173,9507085
20183,9206988
20193,7606689
20203,2205784
20213,6006482
20223,4606183
20233,2605883
20243,5706386
20253,5106286

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 Indiana

+4.6%Projected growth in Indiana2024–2034, state agency
460Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
5,470Jobs in 20245,720 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Indiana's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +4.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 5,470 to 5,720, with about 460 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,510 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Indiana

On federally funded construction in Indiana, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 90 of the 92 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $52.86 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $7.25). 2 of the 92 counties still use a survey rate dated 1995 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $7.25). The market median for the state is $24.16.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, INAdams: $52.86 (union)Allen: $52.86 (union)Bartholomew: $52.86 (union)Benton: $52.86 (union)Blackford: $52.86 (union)Boone: $52.86 (union)Brown: $47.88 (union)Carroll: $52.86 (union)Cass: $52.86 (union)Clark: $47.88 (union)Clay: $49.75 (union)Clinton: $52.86 (union)Crawford: $46.74 (union)Daviess: $52.32 (union)Dearborn: $47.88 (union)Decatur: $47.88 (union)DeKalb: $52.86 (union)Delaware: $52.86 (union)Dubois: $49.94 (union)Elkhart: $52.86 (union)Fayette: $47.88 (union)Floyd: $47.88 (union)Fountain: $52.86 (union)Franklin: $47.88 (union)Fulton: $52.86 (union)Gibson: $49.75 (union)Grant: $52.86 (union)Greene: $49.75 (union)Hamilton: $52.86 (union)Hancock: $52.86 (union)Harrison: $47.88 (union)Hendricks: $52.86 (union)Henry: $47.88 (union)Howard: $52.86 (union)Huntington: $52.86 (union)Jackson: $48.88 (union)Jasper: $52.86 (union)Jay: $52.86 (union)Jefferson: $7.25 (survey)Jennings: $47.88 (union)Johnson: $52.86 (union)Knox: $52.32 (union)Kosciusko: $52.86 (union)LaGrange: $52.86 (union)Lake: $72.26 (union)LaPorte: $72.26 (union)Lawrence: $48.88 (union)Madison: $52.86 (union)Marion: $52.86 (union)Marshall: $52.86 (union)Martin: $52.32 (union)Miami: $52.86 (union)Monroe: $52.86 (union)Montgomery: $52.86 (union)Morgan: $52.86 (union)Newton: $52.86 (union)Noble: $52.86 (union)Ohio: $47.88 (union)Orange: $47.88 (union)Owen: $49.75 (union)Parke: $49.75 (union)Perry: $46.74 (union)Pike: $49.94 (union)Porter: $72.26 (union)Posey: $49.75 (union)Pulaski: $52.86 (union)Putnam: $49.75 (union)Randolph: $47.88 (union)Ripley: $47.88 (union)Rush: $47.88 (union)St. Joseph: $72.26 (union)Scott: $7.25 (survey)Shelby: $52.86 (union)Spencer: $49.94 (union)Starke: $52.86 (union)Steuben: $52.86 (union)Sullivan: $49.75 (union)Switzerland: $47.88 (union)Tippecanoe: $52.86 (union)Tipton: $52.86 (union)Union: $47.88 (union)Vanderburgh: $49.75 (union)Vermillion: $49.75 (union)Vigo: $49.75 (union)Wabash: $52.86 (union)Warren: $52.86 (union)Warrick: $49.75 (union)Washington: $47.88 (union)Wayne: $47.88 (union)Wells: $52.86 (union)White: $52.86 (union)Whitley: $52.86 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$47.88$49.83$52.86survey 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/hrSt. Joseph (South Bend): market median $23.47, prevailing (union) $72.26, gap +$48.79St. Joseph (South Bend)+$48.79LaPorte (Michigan City): market median $23.77, prevailing (union) $72.26, gap +$48.49LaPorte (Michigan City)+$48.49Lake (Chicago): market median $29.68, prevailing (union) $72.26, gap +$42.58Lake (Chicago)+$42.58Benton (Lafayette): market median $22.11, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$30.75Benton (Lafayette)+$30.75Elkhart (Elkhart): market median $23.10, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$29.76Elkhart (Elkhart)+$29.76Allen (Fort Wayne): market median $23.62, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$29.24Allen (Fort Wayne)+$29.24Delaware (Muncie): market median $23.75, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$29.11Delaware (Muncie)+$29.11Howard (Indiana): market median $24.16, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$28.70Howard (Indiana)+$28.70Boone (Indianapolis): market median $24.47, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$28.39Boone (Indianapolis)+$28.39Clay (Terre Haute): market median $22.06, prevailing (union) $49.75, gap +$27.69Clay (Terre Haute)+$27.69Monroe (Bloomington): market median $25.60, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$27.26Monroe (Bloomington)+$27.26Bartholomew (Columbus): market median $28.15, prevailing (union) $52.86, gap +$24.71Bartholomew (Columbus)+$24.71Clark (Louisville): market median $23.52, prevailing (union) $47.88, gap +$24.36Clark (Louisville)+$24.36Dearborn (Cincinnati): market median $24.12, prevailing (union) $47.88, gap +$23.76Dearborn (Cincinnati)+$23.76Posey (Evansville): market median $26.16, prevailing (union) $49.75, gap +$23.59Posey (Evansville)+$23.59
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Indiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
LakeUnion PAIN0460-003 2025-06-24$41.00$31.26$72.26IN20260001
LaPorteUnion PAIN0460-003 2025-06-24$41.00$31.26$72.26IN20260001
PorterUnion PAIN0460-003 2025-06-24$41.00$31.26$72.26IN20260001
St. JosephUnion PAIN0460-003 2025-06-24$41.00$31.26$72.26IN20260001
AdamsUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
AllenUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
BartholomewUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
BentonUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
BlackfordUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
BooneUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
CarrollUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
CassUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
ClintonUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
DeKalbUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002
DelawareUnion PAIN0091-005 2025-06-01$33.00$19.86$52.86IN20260002

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Indiana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Indiana?

185.6kConstruction jobsIndiana, 2026-09
+2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025186kSep 2026
Construction employment in Indiana (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Indiana

More on Indiana

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Indiana?

The median painter in Indiana earned $24.16 an hour ($50,260 a year) in May 2025, 2% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $20.76–$30.02; the top 10% earn more than $33.43.

Where does Indiana rank for painter pay?

Indiana ranks 22nd of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $24.16 an hour, and 20th after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.3, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Indiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 90 counties, with a typical package of $52.86 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Indiana?

BLS counted 3,510 painters in Indiana in May 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.76; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Indiana?

The BLS employer survey count of painters in Indiana went from 3,790 in 2015 to 3,510 in 2025, -7.4%, and -6.6% since 2019. Indiana's labor market agency projects +4.6% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 5,470 to 5,720 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Indiana?

Indiana projects about 460 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, Indiana 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.