Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Minnesota

Median $27.54 an hour for 3,810 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$27.54/hrMedian hourly wageMinnesota, May data
$57,270/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.53 – $42.3010th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,810Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Painter pay in Minnesota: the full range

Wage percentiles, MinnesotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrMinnesota: 10th $17.53 · 25th $20.96 · median $27.54 · 75th $33.34 · 90th $42.30Minnesota$27.54$17.53$42.30United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Minnesota vs United States, May 2025.

Minnesota ranks 15th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.93). 3,810 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.53 – $20.96$36,460 – $43,600roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.96 – $33.34$43,600 – $69,340the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$33.34 – $42.30$69,340 – $87,970the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Minnesota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrMinneapolis: $29.26Minneapolis$29.26Rochester: $28.95Rochester$28.95Fargo: $25.43Fargo$25.43Grand Forks: $24.29Grand Forks$24.29Duluth: $23.90Duluth$23.90La Crosse: $23.79La Crosse$23.79Sioux Falls: $23.29Sioux Falls$23.29Mankato: $22.34Mankato$22.34St. Cloud: $22.30St. Cloud$22.30
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Minnesota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Minneapolis$17.91$29.26$27.92$44.712,7106% above
Rochester$17.54$28.95$31.88$36.342205% above
Fargo$18.14$25.43$27.98$37.952108% below
Grand Forks$17.37$24.29$28.02$34.265012% below
Duluth$16.49$23.90$26.91$37.5012013% below
La Crosse$13.47$23.79$25.92$29.806014% below
Sioux Falls$18.00$23.29$25.71$27.9836015% below
Mankato$18.76$22.34$24.55$32.335019% below
St. Cloud$16.60$22.30$25.46$35.2812019% below

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

Painter wages in Minnesota over time

Minnesota, 1999-2025MinnesotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$27.54Minnesota$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, Minnesota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMinnesota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$22.54$43.56$12.863,970
2000$18.94$35.41$13.104,380
2001$18.00$32.72$13.664,580
2002$18.07$32.34$13.984,240
2003$17.68$30.93$14.124,100
2004$18.44$31.43$14.553,830
2005$16.64$27.43$14.813,940
2006$17.61$28.12$15.004,150
2007$18.15$28.18$15.423,840
2008$18.51$27.68$15.853,580
2009$18.39$27.60$16.212,860
2010$16.94$25.01$16.482,680
2011$17.39$24.89$17.042,920
2012$17.88$25.07$16.923,490
2013$17.99$24.86$17.013,280
2014$18.03$24.52$17.293,520
2015$18.56$25.21$17.593,600
2016$20.09$26.95$18.063,930
2017$21.51$28.25$18.253,930
2018$23.53$30.17$18.723,910
2019$24.94$31.41$19.374,000
2020$26.53$33.00$20.253,750
2021$23.36$27.75$21.923,470
2022$24.67$27.14$22.163,300
2023$28.03$29.62$22.943,290
2024$29.28$30.05$23.403,480
2025$27.54$27.54$23.753,810

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Minnesota changed by +9.2% over the last ten years of data and by -12.3% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Minnesota?

-4.7%Jobs since 20194,000 then, 3,810 in 2025
+5.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 26th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of painters counted in Minnesota has changed by -4.0%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -4.7%.

Painters, construction and maintenance in Minnesota vs United States, 1999 = 100MinnesotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages608010012014020002005201020152020202596Minnesota86United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Minnesota vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMinnesota jobsMinnesota indexUS index
19993,970100100
20004,380110100
20014,58011598
20024,24010799
20034,10010395
20043,8309696
20053,9409996
20064,150104101
20073,84097100
20083,5809096
20092,8607282
20102,6806873
20112,9207471
20123,4908871
20133,2808374
20143,5208978
20153,6009182
20163,9309983
20173,9309985
20183,9109888
20194,00010189
20203,7509484
20213,4708782
20223,3008383
20233,2908383
20243,4808886
20253,8109686

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 Minnesota

+3.9%Projected growth in Minnesota2024–2034, state agency
530Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
6,430Jobs in 20246,680 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Minnesota's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +3.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,430 to 6,680, with about 530 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,810 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Minnesota

On federally funded construction in Minnesota, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 87 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $61.87). The market median for the state is $27.54.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MNAitkin: $61.87 (survey)Anoka: $77.34 (survey)Becker: $61.87 (survey)Beltrami: $61.87 (survey)Benton: $32.46 (survey)Big Stone: $61.87 (survey)Blue Earth: $61.44 (survey)Brown: $61.44 (survey)Carlton: $69.82 (survey)Carver: $77.34 (survey)Cass: $61.87 (survey)Chippewa: $61.87 (survey)Chisago: $77.34 (survey)Clay: $61.87 (survey)Clearwater: $61.87 (survey)Cook: $69.82 (survey)Cottonwood: $61.44 (survey)Crow Wing: $61.87 (survey)Dakota: $77.34 (survey)Dodge: $61.44 (survey)Douglas: $61.87 (survey)Faribault: $61.44 (survey)Fillmore: $61.44 (survey)Freeborn: $61.44 (survey)Goodhue: $61.44 (survey)Grant: $61.87 (survey)Hennepin: $77.34 (survey)Houston: $61.44 (survey)Hubbard: $61.87 (survey)Isanti: $77.34 (survey)Itasca: $69.82 (survey)Jackson: $25.00 (survey)Kanabec: $77.34 (survey)Kandiyohi: $61.87 (survey)Kittson: $61.87 (survey)Koochiching: $69.82 (survey)Lac qui Parle: $61.44 (survey)Lake: $69.82 (survey)Lake of the Woods: $61.87 (survey)Le Sueur: $61.44 (survey)Lincoln: $61.44 (survey)Lyon: $61.44 (survey)McLeod: $77.34 (survey)Mahnomen: $61.87 (survey)Marshall: $61.87 (survey)Martin: $61.44 (survey)Meeker: $39.44 (survey)Mille Lacs: $61.87 (survey)Morrison: $61.87 (survey)Mower: $61.44 (survey)Murray: $61.44 (survey)Nicollet: $39.44 (survey)Nobles: $61.44 (survey)Norman: $61.87 (survey)Olmsted: $61.44 (survey)Otter Tail: $61.87 (survey)Pennington: $61.87 (survey)Pine: $77.34 (survey)Pipestone: $61.44 (survey)Polk: $61.87 (survey)Pope: $61.87 (survey)Ramsey: $77.34 (survey)Red Lake: $61.87 (survey)Redwood: $61.44 (survey)Renville: $61.44 (survey)Rice: $61.44 (survey)Rock: $61.44 (survey)Roseau: $61.87 (survey)St. Louis: $69.82 (survey)Scott: $77.34 (survey)Sherburne: $77.34 (survey)Sibley: $61.44 (survey)Stearns: $61.87 (survey)Steele: $61.44 (survey)Stevens: $61.87 (survey)Swift: $61.87 (survey)Todd: $61.87 (survey)Traverse: $61.87 (survey)Wabasha: $61.44 (survey)Wadena: $61.87 (survey)Waseca: $61.44 (survey)Washington: $77.34 (survey)Watonwan: $61.44 (survey)Wilkin: $61.87 (survey)Winona: $61.44 (survey)Wright: $77.34 (survey)Yellow Medicine: $61.44 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$61.44$61.87$69.82survey 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 (survey)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrAnoka (Minneapolis): market median $29.26, prevailing (survey) $77.34, gap +$48.08Anoka (Minneapolis)+$48.08Carlton (Duluth): market median $23.90, prevailing (survey) $69.82, gap +$45.92Carlton (Duluth)+$45.92Stearns (St. Cloud): market median $22.30, prevailing (survey) $61.87, gap +$39.57Stearns (St. Cloud)+$39.57Blue Earth (Mankato): market median $22.34, prevailing (survey) $61.44, gap +$39.10Blue Earth (Mankato)+$39.10Rock (Sioux Falls): market median $23.29, prevailing (survey) $61.44, gap +$38.15Rock (Sioux Falls)+$38.15Houston (La Crosse): market median $23.79, prevailing (survey) $61.44, gap +$37.65Houston (La Crosse)+$37.65Polk (Grand Forks): market median $24.29, prevailing (survey) $61.87, gap +$37.58Polk (Grand Forks)+$37.58Clay (Fargo): market median $25.43, prevailing (survey) $61.87, gap +$36.44Clay (Fargo)+$36.44Dodge (Rochester): market median $28.95, prevailing (survey) $61.44, gap +$32.49Dodge (Rochester)+$32.49
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Minnesota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Anokastate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260028
Carverstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260036
Chisagostate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260039
Dakotastate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260045
Hennepinstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260053
Isantistate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260056
Kanabecstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260059
McLeodstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260072
Pinestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260084
Ramseystate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260088
Scottstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260095
Sherburnestate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260096
Washingtonstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260108
Wrightstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$48.25$29.09$77.34MN20260112
Carltonstate SAMN2025-001 2025-12-22$41.77$28.05$69.82MN20260035

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Minnesota prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Minnesota?

161.1kConstruction jobsMinnesota, 2026-09
+5.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025161kSep 2026
Construction employment in Minnesota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Minnesota

More on Minnesota

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Minnesota?

The median painter in Minnesota earned $27.54 an hour ($57,270 a year) in May 2025, 16% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $20.96–$33.34; the top 10% earn more than $42.30.

Where does Minnesota rank for painter pay?

Minnesota ranks 15th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $27.54 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for Minnesota's cost of living (BEA price parity 98.6, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Minnesota?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most Minnesota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many painters work in Minnesota?

BLS counted 3,810 painters in Minnesota in May 2025, 1.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.89; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Minnesota?

The BLS employer survey count of painters in Minnesota went from 3,600 in 2015 to 3,810 in 2025, +5.8%, and -4.7% since 2019. Minnesota's labor market agency projects +3.9% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 6,430 to 6,680 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Minnesota?

Minnesota projects about 530 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, Minnesota 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Minnesota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.