Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Iowa

Median $23.90 an hour for 1,770 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$23.90/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$49,710/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.83 – $32.2210th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,770Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrIowa: 10th $17.83 · 25th $20.70 · median $23.90 · 75th $29.54 · 90th $32.22Iowa$23.90$17.83$32.22United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 24th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 10th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.22). 1,770 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.83 – $20.70$37,080 – $43,050roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.70 – $29.54$43,050 – $61,450the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.54 – $32.22$61,450 – $67,010the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrDavenport: $27.82Davenport$27.82Des Moines: $27.60Des Moines$27.60Waterloo: $26.44Waterloo$26.44Omaha: $22.96Omaha$22.96Dubuque: $22.79Dubuque$22.79Sioux City: $22.48Sioux City$22.48Cedar Rapids: $22.21Cedar Rapids$22.21Iowa City: $21.62Iowa City$21.62Ames: $21.53Ames$21.53
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Davenport$17.81$27.82$31.22$37.8221016% above
Des Moines$18.54$27.60$30.10$33.7562015% above
Waterloo$18.20$26.44$30.36$34.5811011% above
Omaha$17.12$22.96$24.98$28.679304% below
Dubuque$17.38$22.79$26.11$31.03405% below
Sioux City$17.72$22.48$25.99$29.86906% below
Cedar Rapids$17.95$22.21$24.96$29.542907% below
Iowa City$17.38$21.62$23.63$30.429010% below
Ames$17.93$21.53$24.25$29.567010% below

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

Painter wages in Iowa over time

Iowa, 1999-2025IowaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.90Iowa$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, Iowa vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIowa $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.12$25.35$12.862,410
2000$12.94$24.19$13.102,010
2001$13.24$24.07$13.661,970
2002$13.09$23.43$13.982,160
2003$13.34$23.34$14.121,900
2004$14.40$24.54$14.551,970
2005$15.81$26.06$14.812,190
2006$15.01$23.97$15.001,920
2007$15.01$23.31$15.422,120
2008$15.35$22.95$15.851,900
2009$16.32$24.49$16.211,790
2010$16.30$24.07$16.481,470
2011$16.83$24.09$17.041,380
2012$17.75$24.89$16.921,260
2013$18.13$25.06$17.011,450
2014$18.06$24.56$17.291,520
2015$16.92$22.98$17.591,820
2016$17.33$23.25$18.061,820
2017$18.26$23.98$18.251,790
2018$19.65$25.19$18.721,790
2019$20.06$25.26$19.371,880
2020$18.94$23.56$20.251,740
2021$18.94$22.50$21.921,470
2022$21.34$23.48$22.161,530
2023$22.85$24.14$22.941,280
2024$23.45$24.07$23.401,730
2025$23.90$23.90$23.751,770

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Iowa changed by +4.0% over the last ten years of data and by -5.4% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Iowa?

1.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 31st of 51 states

BLS counted 1,770 painters in Iowa in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 6%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for painters in Iowa

+4.8%Projected growth in Iowa2024–2034, state agency
220Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,640Jobs in 20242,770 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Iowa's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +4.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,640 to 2,770, with about 220 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,770 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 71 of the 99 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.71 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.27). 28 of the 99 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Buena Vista County at $24.27). The market median for the state is $23.90.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: $48.71 (union)Adams: $48.71 (union)Allamakee: $48.71 (union)Appanoose: $48.71 (union)Audubon: $48.71 (union)Benton: $41.65 (union)Black Hawk: $41.65 (union)Boone: $48.71 (union)Bremer: $41.65 (union)Buchanan: $48.71 (union)Buena Vista: $24.27 (survey)Butler: $48.71 (union)Calhoun: $24.27 (survey)Carroll: $48.71 (union)Cass: $48.71 (union)Cedar: $48.71 (union)Cerro Gordo: $48.71 (union)Cherokee: $24.27 (survey)Chickasaw: $48.71 (union)Clarke: $48.71 (union)Clay: $24.27 (survey)Clayton: $48.71 (union)Clinton: $48.71 (union)Crawford: $48.71 (union)Dallas: $48.71 (union)Davis: $48.71 (union)Decatur: $48.71 (union)Delaware: $48.71 (union)Des Moines: $48.71 (union)Dickinson: $24.27 (survey)Dubuque: $41.65 (union)Emmet: $24.27 (survey)Fayette: $48.71 (union)Floyd: $48.71 (union)Franklin: $48.71 (union)Fremont: $48.71 (union)Greene: $48.71 (union)Grundy: $41.65 (union)Guthrie: $26.41 (survey)Hamilton: $24.27 (survey)Hancock: $24.27 (survey)Hardin: $48.71 (union)Harrison: $26.41 (survey)Henry: $48.71 (union)Howard: $48.71 (union)Humboldt: $24.27 (survey)Ida: $24.27 (survey)Iowa: $48.71 (union)Jackson: $48.71 (union)Jasper: $48.71 (union)Jefferson: $48.71 (union)Johnson: $41.65 (union)Jones: $41.65 (union)Keokuk: $48.71 (union)Kossuth: $24.27 (survey)Lee: $48.71 (union)Linn: $41.65 (union)Louisa: $48.71 (union)Lucas: $48.71 (union)Lyon: $24.27 (survey)Madison: $26.41 (survey)Mahaska: $48.71 (union)Marion: $48.71 (union)Marshall: $48.71 (union)Mills: $26.41 (survey)Mitchell: $48.71 (union)Monona: $48.71 (union)Monroe: $48.71 (union)Montgomery: $48.71 (union)Muscatine: $48.71 (union)O'Brien: $24.27 (survey)Osceola: $24.27 (survey)Page: $48.71 (union)Palo Alto: $24.27 (survey)Plymouth: $24.27 (survey)Pocahontas: $24.27 (survey)Polk: $48.71 (union)Pottawattamie: $26.41 (survey)Poweshiek: $48.71 (union)Ringgold: $48.71 (union)Sac: $24.27 (survey)Scott: $50.37 (union)Shelby: $48.71 (union)Sioux: $24.27 (survey)Story: $48.71 (union)Tama: $48.71 (union)Taylor: $48.71 (union)Union: $48.71 (union)Van Buren: $48.71 (union)Wapello: $48.71 (union)Warren: $48.71 (union)Washington: $41.65 (union)Wayne: $48.71 (union)Webster: $24.27 (survey)Winnebago: $24.27 (survey)Winneshiek: $48.71 (union)Woodbury: $26.41 (survey)Worth: $48.71 (union)Wright: $24.27 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$48.71survey 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$60/hrBoone (Ames): market median $21.53, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$27.18Boone (Ames)+$27.18Scott (Davenport): market median $27.82, prevailing (union) $50.37, gap +$22.55Scott (Davenport)+$22.55Dallas (Des Moines): market median $27.60, prevailing (union) $48.71, gap +$21.11Dallas (Des Moines)+$21.11Johnson (Iowa City): market median $21.62, prevailing (union) $41.65, gap +$20.03Johnson (Iowa City)+$20.03Benton (Cedar Rapids): market median $22.21, prevailing (union) $41.65, gap +$19.44Benton (Cedar Rapids)+$19.44Dubuque (Dubuque): market median $22.79, prevailing (union) $41.65, gap +$18.86Dubuque (Dubuque)+$18.86Black Hawk (Waterloo): market median $26.44, prevailing (union) $41.65, gap +$15.21Black Hawk (Waterloo)+$15.21Woodbury (Sioux City): market median $22.48, prevailing (survey) $26.41, gap +$3.93Woodbury (Sioux City)+$3.93Harrison (Omaha): market median $22.96, prevailing (survey) $26.41, gap +$3.45Harrison (Omaha)+$3.45
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ScottUnion PAIN0676-003 2024-05-01$31.32$19.05$50.37IA20260073
AdairUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260029
AdamsUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260030
AllamakeeUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260031
AppanooseUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260032
AudubonUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260033
BooneUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260034
BuchananUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260080
ButlerUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260080
CarrollUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260035
CassUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260058
CedarUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260036
Cerro GordoUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260037
ChickasawUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260080
ClarkeUnion PAIN0246-001 2025-05-01$32.41$16.30$48.71IA20260058

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

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

92.4kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-09
+4.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202592kSep 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

More on Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Iowa?

The median painter in Iowa earned $23.90 an hour ($49,710 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $20.70–$29.54; the top 10% earn more than $32.22.

Where does Iowa rank for painter pay?

Iowa ranks 24th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.90 an hour, and 10th after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 71 counties, with a typical package of $48.71 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Iowa?

BLS counted 1,770 painters in Iowa in May 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.78; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Iowa?

Iowa's labor market agency projects +4.8% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 2,640 to 2,770 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Iowa?

Iowa projects about 220 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, Iowa 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: Iowa labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.