Painter salary in Maryland
Median $23.62 an hour for 3,750 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
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 work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $19.50 – $22.37 | $40,560 – $46,520 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.37 – $28.50 | $46,520 – $59,290 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $28.50 – $37.52 | $59,290 – $78,050 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Maryland
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $18.04 | $27.60 | $26.90 | $37.00 | 3,360 | 17% above |
| Lexington Park | $21.75 | $24.40 | $24.21 | $34.11 | — | 3% above |
| Washington DC | $20.00 | $24.31 | $22.32 | $35.60 | 4,380 | 3% above |
| Baltimore | $19.22 | $23.36 | $22.35 | $38.73 | 1,460 | 1% below |
| Salisbury | $17.48 | $21.13 | $22.10 | $34.27 | 70 | 11% below |
| Hagerstown | $15.75 | $20.71 | $21.99 | $30.82 | 90 | 12% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
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 and by +3.2% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in Maryland?
Since 1999, the number of painters counted in Maryland has changed by -36.0%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -26.0%.
Table
| Year | Maryland jobs | Maryland index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 5,860 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 6,110 | 104 | 100 |
| 2001 | 6,120 | 104 | 98 |
| 2002 | 6,510 | 111 | 99 |
| 2003 | 6,730 | 115 | 95 |
| 2004 | 6,180 | 106 | 96 |
| 2005 | 5,950 | 102 | 96 |
| 2006 | 5,980 | 102 | 101 |
| 2007 | 5,660 | 97 | 100 |
| 2008 | 5,560 | 95 | 96 |
| 2009 | 4,640 | 79 | 82 |
| 2010 | 4,360 | 74 | 73 |
| 2011 | 3,710 | 63 | 71 |
| 2012 | 4,160 | 71 | 71 |
| 2013 | 4,450 | 76 | 74 |
| 2014 | 4,690 | 80 | 78 |
| 2015 | 4,820 | 82 | 82 |
| 2016 | 4,660 | 80 | 83 |
| 2017 | 4,540 | 78 | 85 |
| 2018 | 4,350 | 74 | 88 |
| 2019 | 5,070 | 86 | 89 |
| 2020 | 4,650 | 79 | 84 |
| 2021 | 4,470 | 76 | 82 |
| 2022 | 3,920 | 67 | 83 |
| 2023 | 3,240 | 55 | 83 |
| 2024 | 3,440 | 59 | 86 |
| 2025 | 3,750 | 64 | 86 |
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 Maryland
Maryland's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +5.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 5,710 to 6,010, with about 480 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,750 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
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 2026-11-13. 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
More on 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 in Maryland in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in Maryland?
The BLS employer survey count of painters in Maryland went from 4,820 in 2015 to 3,750 in 2025, -22.2%, and -26.0% since 2019. Maryland's labor market agency projects +5.3% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 5,710 to 6,010 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in Maryland?
Maryland projects about 480 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, Maryland 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: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.