Painter salary in New Hampshire
Median $23.88 an hour for 910 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Painter pay in New Hampshire: the full range
New Hampshire ranks 25th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 39th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.92). 910 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $19.63 – $22.39 | $40,830 – $46,580 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.39 – $27.83 | $46,580 – $57,880 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $27.83 – $30.54 | $57,880 – $63,530 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in New Hampshire
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $21.95 | $27.80 | $25.67 | $52.81 | 3,220 | 16% above |
| Manchester | $18.46 | $23.88 | $22.59 | $30.77 | 250 | about the same as |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Painter wages in New Hampshire over time
Table
| Year | New Hampshire $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.88 | $22.96 | $12.86 | 1,400 |
| 2000 | $12.56 | $23.48 | $13.10 | 1,250 |
| 2001 | $13.14 | $23.89 | $13.66 | 1,010 |
| 2002 | $13.63 | $24.39 | $13.98 | 1,010 |
| 2003 | $13.93 | $24.37 | $14.12 | 970 |
| 2004 | $14.41 | $24.56 | $14.55 | 1,090 |
| 2005 | $14.49 | $23.89 | $14.81 | 1,040 |
| 2006 | $14.40 | $23.00 | $15.00 | 1,060 |
| 2007 | $15.19 | $23.59 | $15.42 | 880 |
| 2008 | $15.22 | $22.76 | $15.85 | 850 |
| 2009 | $14.95 | $22.43 | $16.21 | 750 |
| 2010 | $14.82 | $21.88 | $16.48 | 710 |
| 2011 | $15.71 | $22.48 | $17.04 | 750 |
| 2012 | $16.01 | $22.45 | $16.92 | 780 |
| 2013 | $16.30 | $22.53 | $17.01 | 740 |
| 2014 | $16.69 | $22.70 | $17.29 | 760 |
| 2015 | $17.33 | $23.54 | $17.59 | 920 |
| 2016 | $17.72 | $23.77 | $18.06 | 790 |
| 2017 | $17.98 | $23.62 | $18.25 | 820 |
| 2018 | $18.44 | $23.64 | $18.72 | 800 |
| 2019 | $19.19 | $24.17 | $19.37 | 790 |
| 2020 | $18.95 | $23.57 | $20.25 | 810 |
| 2021 | $22.25 | $26.44 | $21.92 | 860 |
| 2022 | $22.57 | $24.83 | $22.16 | 840 |
| 2023 | $22.58 | $23.86 | $22.94 | 810 |
| 2024 | $23.85 | $24.48 | $23.40 | 990 |
| 2025 | $23.88 | $23.88 | $23.75 | 910 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in New Hampshire changed by +1.4% over the last ten years of data and by -1.2% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in New Hampshire?
BLS counted 910 painters in New Hampshire in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. 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 New Hampshire
New Hampshire's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +5.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,440 to 1,510, with about 120 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 910 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Hampshire labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in New Hampshire
On federally funded construction in New Hampshire, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 10 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.62). 10 of the 10 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Belknap County at $20.62). The market median for the state is $23.88.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | Survey SUNH2015-007 2017-06-16 | $22.99 | $3.28 | $26.27 | NH20260021 |
| Rockingham | Survey SUNH2015-008 2017-06-16 | $22.99 | $3.28 | $26.27 | NH20260022 |
| Strafford | Survey SUNH2015-009 2017-06-16 | $22.99 | $3.28 | $26.27 | NH20260023 |
| Belknap | Survey SUNH2015-001 2017-06-16 | $20.62 | $0.00 | $20.62 | NH20260015 |
| Cheshire | Survey SUNH2015-006 2017-06-16 | $20.62 | $0.00 | $20.62 | NH20260020 |
| Merrimack | Survey SUNH2015-005 2017-06-16 | $20.62 | $0.00 | $20.62 | NH20260019 |
| Sullivan | Survey SUNH2015-006 2017-06-16 | $20.62 | $0.00 | $20.62 | NH20260020 |
| Carroll | Survey SUNH2015-002 2017-06-16 | $16.87 | $2.02 | $18.89 | NH20260016 |
| Coos | Survey SUNH2015-003 2017-06-16 | $16.87 | $2.02 | $18.89 | NH20260017 |
| Grafton | Survey SUNH2015-004 2017-06-16 | $16.87 | $2.02 | $18.89 | NH20260018 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Hampshire prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in New Hampshire?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Hampshire
More on New Hampshire
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in New Hampshire?
The median painter in New Hampshire earned $23.88 an hour ($49,670 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $22.39–$27.83; the top 10% earn more than $30.54.
Where does New Hampshire rank for painter pay?
New Hampshire ranks 25th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.88 an hour, and 39th after adjusting for New Hampshire's cost of living (BEA price parity 104.2, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in New Hampshire?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a painter classification for most New Hampshire counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many painters work in New Hampshire?
BLS counted 910 painters in New Hampshire in May 2025, 1.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.92; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's labor market agency projects +5.2% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 1,440 to 1,510 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire projects about 120 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, New Hampshire 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: New Hampshire labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.