Painter salary in Nebraska
Median $22.73 an hour for 1,590 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Painter pay in Nebraska: the full range
Nebraska ranks 35th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.23). 1,590 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $16.06 – $18.19 | $33,410 – $37,840 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $18.19 – $24.62 | $37,840 – $51,220 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $24.62 – $27.88 | $51,220 – $57,990 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in Nebraska
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $17.12 | $22.96 | $24.98 | $28.67 | 930 | 1% above |
| Lincoln | $13.50 | $22.68 | $24.76 | $28.04 | 280 | about the same as |
| Sioux City | $17.72 | $22.48 | $25.99 | $29.86 | 90 | 1% below |
| Grand Island | $16.06 | $21.42 | $24.71 | $24.55 | 60 | 6% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Painter wages in Nebraska over time
Table
| Year | Nebraska $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $10.87 | $21.01 | $12.86 | 1,690 |
| 2000 | $11.85 | $22.15 | $13.10 | 1,690 |
| 2001 | $12.55 | $22.81 | $13.66 | 1,500 |
| 2002 | $12.90 | $23.09 | $13.98 | 1,660 |
| 2003 | $13.58 | $23.76 | $14.12 | 1,380 |
| 2004 | $13.91 | $23.71 | $14.55 | 1,510 |
| 2005 | $13.24 | $21.83 | $14.81 | 1,700 |
| 2006 | $13.20 | $21.08 | $15.00 | 1,700 |
| 2007 | $13.26 | $20.59 | $15.42 | 1,620 |
| 2008 | $14.62 | $21.86 | $15.85 | 1,540 |
| 2009 | $15.15 | $22.73 | $16.21 | 1,150 |
| 2010 | $15.84 | $23.39 | $16.48 | 1,190 |
| 2011 | $14.29 | $20.45 | $17.04 | 1,210 |
| 2012 | $14.57 | $20.43 | $16.92 | 1,290 |
| 2013 | $14.62 | $20.20 | $17.01 | 1,260 |
| 2014 | $15.36 | $20.89 | $17.29 | 1,250 |
| 2015 | $15.64 | $21.24 | $17.59 | 1,360 |
| 2016 | $16.32 | $21.89 | $18.06 | 1,350 |
| 2017 | $16.88 | $22.17 | $18.25 | 1,470 |
| 2018 | $16.68 | $21.39 | $18.72 | 1,480 |
| 2019 | $16.24 | $20.45 | $19.37 | 1,510 |
| 2020 | $17.28 | $21.50 | $20.25 | 1,510 |
| 2021 | $18.19 | $21.61 | $21.92 | 1,520 |
| 2022 | $18.67 | $20.54 | $22.16 | 1,580 |
| 2023 | $18.49 | $19.54 | $22.94 | 1,730 |
| 2024 | $21.64 | $22.21 | $23.40 | 1,580 |
| 2025 | $22.73 | $22.73 | $23.75 | 1,590 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Nebraska changed by +7.0% over the last ten years of data and by +11.1% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in Nebraska?
BLS counted 1,590 painters in Nebraska 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 Nebraska
Nebraska's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +8.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,390 to 2,600, with about 210 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,590 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Nebraska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Nebraska
On federally funded construction in Nebraska, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 9 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $14.26). 9 of the 9 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Cass County at $14.26). The market median for the state is $22.73.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass | Survey SUNE2011-030 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260056 |
| Dakota | Survey SUNE2011-037 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260063 |
| Dixon | Survey SUNE2011-037 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260063 |
| Douglas | Survey SUNE2011-031 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260057 |
| Lancaster | Survey SUNE2011-032 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260058 |
| Sarpy | Survey SUNE2011-033 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260059 |
| Saunders | Survey SUNE2011-034 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260060 |
| Seward | Survey SUNE2011-035 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260061 |
| Washington | Survey SUNE2011-036 2011-10-27 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $14.26 | NE20260062 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Nebraska prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Nebraska?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Nebraska
More on Nebraska
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in Nebraska?
The median painter in Nebraska earned $22.73 an hour ($47,280 a year) in May 2025, 4% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $18.19–$24.62; the top 10% earn more than $27.88.
Where does Nebraska rank for painter pay?
Nebraska ranks 35th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $22.73 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for Nebraska's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.1, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in Nebraska?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most Nebraska counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in Nebraska?
BLS counted 1,590 painters in Nebraska in May 2025, 1.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.07; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in Nebraska?
Nebraska's labor market agency projects +8.7% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 2,390 to 2,600 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in Nebraska?
Nebraska projects about 210 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, Nebraska 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: Nebraska labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.