Painter salary in Maryland
Median $23.62 an hour for 3,750 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
Painter pay in Maryland: the full range
Maryland ranks 27th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 45th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.50). 3,750 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $19.50 – $22.37 | $40,560 – $46,520 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.37 – $28.50 | $46,520 – $59,290 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $28.50 – $37.52 | $59,290 – $78,050 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Maryland
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $18.04 | $27.60 | $37.00 | 3,360 | 17% above |
| Lexington Park | $21.75 | $24.40 | $34.11 | — | 3% above |
| Washington DC | $20.00 | $24.31 | $35.60 | 4,380 | 3% above |
| Baltimore | $19.22 | $23.36 | $38.73 | 1,460 | 1% below |
| Salisbury | $17.48 | $21.13 | $34.27 | 70 | 11% below |
| Hagerstown | $15.75 | $20.71 | $30.82 | 90 | 12% below |
Painter wages in Maryland over time
Table
| Year | Maryland $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $12.83 | $24.79 | $12.86 | 5,860 |
| 2000 | $13.06 | $24.42 | $13.10 | 6,110 |
| 2001 | $13.84 | $25.16 | $13.66 | 6,120 |
| 2002 | $14.20 | $25.41 | $13.98 | 6,510 |
| 2003 | $14.57 | $25.49 | $14.12 | 6,730 |
| 2004 | $15.40 | $26.25 | $14.55 | 6,180 |
| 2005 | $16.80 | $27.69 | $14.81 | 5,950 |
| 2006 | $16.00 | $25.55 | $15.00 | 5,980 |
| 2007 | $16.31 | $25.32 | $15.42 | 5,660 |
| 2008 | $15.81 | $23.64 | $15.85 | 5,560 |
| 2009 | $15.77 | $23.67 | $16.21 | 4,640 |
| 2010 | $16.51 | $24.38 | $16.48 | 4,360 |
| 2011 | $16.97 | $24.29 | $17.04 | 3,710 |
| 2012 | $16.61 | $23.29 | $16.92 | 4,160 |
| 2013 | $16.67 | $23.04 | $17.01 | 4,450 |
| 2014 | $17.44 | $23.72 | $17.29 | 4,690 |
| 2015 | $17.30 | $23.50 | $17.59 | 4,820 |
| 2016 | $17.85 | $23.94 | $18.06 | 4,660 |
| 2017 | $17.48 | $22.96 | $18.25 | 4,540 |
| 2018 | $17.92 | $22.98 | $18.72 | 4,350 |
| 2019 | $18.17 | $22.88 | $19.37 | 5,070 |
| 2020 | $19.44 | $24.18 | $20.25 | 4,650 |
| 2021 | $22.32 | $26.52 | $21.92 | 4,470 |
| 2022 | $21.94 | $24.14 | $22.16 | 3,920 |
| 2023 | $21.87 | $23.11 | $22.94 | 3,240 |
| 2024 | $23.59 | $24.21 | $23.40 | 3,440 |
| 2025 | $23.62 | $23.62 | $23.75 | 3,750 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Maryland changed by +0.5% over the last ten years of data.
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Maryland
On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $41.17). The market median for the state is $23.62.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvert | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $36.37 | $16.21 | $52.58 | MD20260109 |
| Charles | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $36.37 | $16.21 | $52.58 | MD20260113 |
| St. Mary's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $36.37 | $16.21 | $52.58 | MD20260124 |
| Anne Arundel | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260082 |
| Baltimore | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260108 |
| Caroline | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260110 |
| Cecil | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260112 |
| Dorchester | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260114 |
| Frederick | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260115 |
| Harford | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260117 |
| Kent | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260119 |
| Montgomery | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260120 |
| Prince George's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260121 |
| Queen Anne's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260122 |
| Somerset | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260123 |
| Talbot | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260125 |
| Worcester | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260128 |
| Baltimore | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $29.16 | $12.01 | $41.17 | MD20260107 |
| Carroll | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $28.86 | $11.94 | $40.80 | MD20260111 |
| Howard | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $28.86 | $11.94 | $40.80 | MD20260118 |
| Wicomico | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $27.50 | $1.50 | $29.00 | MD20260127 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Maryland prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Maryland?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Maryland
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in Maryland?
The median painter in Maryland earned $23.62 an hour ($49,120 a year) in May 2025, 1% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $22.37–$28.50; the top 10% earn more than $37.52.
Where does Maryland rank for painter pay?
Maryland ranks 27th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.62 an hour, and 45th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in Maryland?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most Maryland counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in Maryland?
BLS counted 3,750 painters, construction and maintenance in Maryland in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Maryland 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.