Painter salary in New Jersey
Median $28.49 an hour for 4,110 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Painter pay in New Jersey: the full range
New Jersey ranks 8th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 15th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.19). 4,110 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.5× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.11 – $21.87 | $37,680 – $45,490 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $21.87 – $34.80 | $45,490 – $72,380 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $34.80 – $46.13 | $72,380 – $95,950 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Painter pay by metro in New Jersey
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $21.83 | $29.53 | $26.23 | $53.63 | 11,930 | 4% above |
| Trenton | $20.85 | $28.66 | $27.77 | $45.95 | 150 | 1% above |
| Philadelphia | $18.04 | $27.60 | $26.90 | $37.00 | 3,360 | 3% below |
| Atlantic City | $16.45 | $25.45 | $25.73 | $41.02 | 460 | 11% below |
| Allentown | $18.00 | $24.46 | $24.46 | $33.34 | 310 | 14% below |
| Vineland | $16.29 | $23.28 | $24.25 | $31.76 | 60 | 18% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Painter wages in New Jersey over time
Table
| Year | New Jersey $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $14.46 | $27.94 | $12.86 | 6,050 |
| 2000 | $15.56 | $29.09 | $13.10 | 5,700 |
| 2001 | $16.20 | $29.45 | $13.66 | 5,620 |
| 2002 | $16.82 | $30.10 | $13.98 | 5,740 |
| 2003 | $17.23 | $30.15 | $14.12 | 5,680 |
| 2004 | $17.11 | $29.16 | $14.55 | 5,200 |
| 2005 | $16.96 | $27.96 | $14.81 | 5,330 |
| 2006 | $16.86 | $26.92 | $15.00 | 5,310 |
| 2007 | $17.55 | $27.25 | $15.42 | 5,030 |
| 2008 | $17.36 | $25.96 | $15.85 | 5,100 |
| 2009 | $18.50 | $27.76 | $16.21 | 4,630 |
| 2010 | $18.44 | $27.23 | $16.48 | 4,150 |
| 2011 | $19.77 | $28.30 | $17.04 | 4,270 |
| 2012 | $18.26 | $25.60 | $16.92 | 4,130 |
| 2013 | $17.57 | $24.28 | $17.01 | 4,150 |
| 2014 | $17.23 | $23.43 | $17.29 | 4,390 |
| 2015 | $17.80 | $24.18 | $17.59 | 4,350 |
| 2016 | $19.83 | $26.60 | $18.06 | 4,170 |
| 2017 | $20.61 | $27.07 | $18.25 | 4,350 |
| 2018 | $23.91 | $30.65 | $18.72 | 4,420 |
| 2019 | $23.85 | $30.03 | $19.37 | 4,600 |
| 2020 | $23.93 | $29.77 | $20.25 | 4,820 |
| 2021 | $26.55 | $31.54 | $21.92 | 5,270 |
| 2022 | $27.33 | $30.07 | $22.16 | 4,810 |
| 2023 | $27.62 | $29.18 | $22.94 | 4,220 |
| 2024 | $28.99 | $29.75 | $23.40 | 4,230 |
| 2025 | $28.49 | $28.49 | $23.75 | 4,110 |
In today's dollars, the median painter wage in New Jersey changed by +17.8% over the last ten years of data and by -5.1% since 2019.
Are there more painter jobs in New Jersey?
Since 1999, the number of painters counted in New Jersey has changed by -32.1%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -10.7%.
Table
| Year | New Jersey jobs | New Jersey index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6,050 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 5,700 | 94 | 100 |
| 2001 | 5,620 | 93 | 98 |
| 2002 | 5,740 | 95 | 99 |
| 2003 | 5,680 | 94 | 95 |
| 2004 | 5,200 | 86 | 96 |
| 2005 | 5,330 | 88 | 96 |
| 2006 | 5,310 | 88 | 101 |
| 2007 | 5,030 | 83 | 100 |
| 2008 | 5,100 | 84 | 96 |
| 2009 | 4,630 | 76 | 82 |
| 2010 | 4,150 | 69 | 73 |
| 2011 | 4,270 | 71 | 71 |
| 2012 | 4,130 | 68 | 71 |
| 2013 | 4,150 | 69 | 74 |
| 2014 | 4,390 | 73 | 78 |
| 2015 | 4,350 | 72 | 82 |
| 2016 | 4,170 | 69 | 83 |
| 2017 | 4,350 | 72 | 85 |
| 2018 | 4,420 | 73 | 88 |
| 2019 | 4,600 | 76 | 89 |
| 2020 | 4,820 | 80 | 84 |
| 2021 | 5,270 | 87 | 82 |
| 2022 | 4,810 | 80 | 83 |
| 2023 | 4,220 | 70 | 83 |
| 2024 | 4,230 | 70 | 86 |
| 2025 | 4,110 | 68 | 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 New Jersey
New Jersey's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +6.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,480 to 6,860, with about 550 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 4,110 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in New Jersey
On federally funded construction in New Jersey, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 20 of the 20 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $75.41 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $28.49.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260025 |
| Bergen | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260026 |
| Burlington | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260027 |
| Camden | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260028 |
| Cape May | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260029 |
| Cumberland | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260030 |
| Essex | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260031 |
| Gloucester | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260032 |
| Hudson | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260033 |
| Hunterdon | Union PAIN0711-020 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260034 |
| Mercer | Union PAIN0711-020 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260035 |
| Middlesex | Union PAIN0711-020 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260036 |
| Morris | Union PAIN0711-022 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260038 |
| Ocean | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260039 |
| Passaic | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260040 |
| Salem | Union PAIN0711-019 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260041 |
| Somerset | Union PAIN0711-020 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260042 |
| Sussex | Union PAIN0711-022 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260043 |
| Union | Union PAIN0711-022 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260044 |
| Warren | Union PAIN0711-022 2025-05-01 | $45.55 | $29.86 | $75.41 | NJ20260045 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Jersey prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in New Jersey?
Keep comparing
Painter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Jersey
More on New Jersey
Questions this page answers
How much do painters make in New Jersey?
The median painter in New Jersey earned $28.49 an hour ($59,250 a year) in May 2025, 20% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $21.87–$34.80; the top 10% earn more than $46.13.
Where does New Jersey rank for painter pay?
New Jersey ranks 8th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $28.49 an hour, and 15th after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).
What is the union painter rate in New Jersey?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 20 counties, with a typical package of $75.41 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many painters work in New Jersey?
BLS counted 4,110 painters in New Jersey in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.66; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is painter work growing in New Jersey?
The BLS employer survey count of painters in New Jersey went from 4,350 in 2015 to 4,110 in 2025, -5.5%, and -10.7% since 2019. New Jersey's labor market agency projects +6.0% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 6,480 to 6,860 jobs.
How many painter openings a year are there in New Jersey?
New Jersey projects about 550 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 Jersey 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 Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.