Skilled Wages

Painter salary in North Dakota

Median $26.38 an hour for 420 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$26.38/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Dakota, May data
$54,870/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.71 – $37.6410th to 90th percentilehourly range
420Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Painter pay in North Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, North DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrNorth Dakota: 10th $17.71 · 25th $22.75 · median $26.38 · 75th $29.16 · 90th $37.64North Dakota$26.38$17.71$37.64United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: North Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

North Dakota ranks 17th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 3rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.64). 420 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.71 – $22.75$36,840 – $47,320roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.75 – $29.16$47,320 – $60,650the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.16 – $37.64$60,650 – $78,290the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in North Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrBismarck: $26.53Bismarck$26.53Fargo: $25.43Fargo$25.43Grand Forks: $24.29Grand Forks$24.29
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in North Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Bismarck$18.17$26.53$29.15$33.85901% above
Fargo$18.14$25.43$27.98$37.952104% below
Grand Forks$17.37$24.29$28.02$34.26508% below

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

Painter wages in North Dakota over time

North Dakota, 1999-2025North DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$26.38North Dakota$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, North Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.59$24.33$12.86620
2000$12.57$23.50$13.10420
2001$12.95$23.54$13.66420
2002$13.16$23.55$13.98360
2003$13.03$22.80$14.12330
2004$13.08$22.29$14.55330
2005$13.00$21.43$14.81350
2006$13.49$21.54$15.00430
2007$13.31$20.67$15.42440
2008$14.22$21.26$15.85460
2009$14.14$21.22$16.21440
2010$14.41$21.28$16.48470
2011$14.90$21.33$17.04480
2012$15.67$21.97$16.92470
2013$17.62$24.35$17.01490
2014$17.98$24.45$17.29570
2015$18.25$24.79$17.59580
2016$18.79$25.20$18.06580
2017$19.24$25.27$18.25470
2018$20.38$26.13$18.72570
2019$21.97$27.67$19.37500
2020$22.56$28.06$20.25450
2021$18.11$21.52$21.92500
2022$19.04$20.95$22.16570
2023$21.76$22.99$22.94440
2024$27.59$28.32$23.40460
2025$26.38$26.38$23.75420

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in North Dakota changed by +6.4% over the last ten years of data and by -4.6% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in North Dakota?

1.0Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 41st of 51 states

BLS counted 420 painters in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. 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 North Dakota

+4.6%Projected growth in North Dakota2024–2034, state agency
50Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
610Jobs in 2024640 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +4.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 610 to 640, with about 50 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 420 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in North Dakota

On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 53 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.46). 53 of the 53 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Adams County at $18.18). The market median for the state is $26.38.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NDAdams: $18.18 (survey)Barnes: $20.46 (survey)Benson: $20.46 (survey)Billings: $18.18 (survey)Bottineau: $18.18 (survey)Bowman: $18.18 (survey)Burke: $18.18 (survey)Burleigh: $30.27 (survey)Cass: $30.27 (survey)Cavalier: $20.46 (survey)Dickey: $20.46 (survey)Divide: $18.18 (survey)Dunn: $18.18 (survey)Eddy: $20.46 (survey)Emmons: $20.46 (survey)Foster: $20.46 (survey)Golden Valley: $18.18 (survey)Grand Forks: $30.27 (survey)Grant: $20.46 (survey)Griggs: $20.46 (survey)Hettinger: $18.18 (survey)Kidder: $20.46 (survey)LaMoure: $20.46 (survey)Logan: $20.46 (survey)McHenry: $18.18 (survey)McIntosh: $20.46 (survey)McKenzie: $18.18 (survey)McLean: $18.18 (survey)Mercer: $18.18 (survey)Morton: $30.27 (survey)Mountrail: $18.18 (survey)Nelson: $20.46 (survey)Oliver: $30.27 (survey)Pembina: $20.46 (survey)Pierce: $18.18 (survey)Ramsey: $20.46 (survey)Ransom: $20.46 (survey)Renville: $18.18 (survey)Richland: $20.46 (survey)Rolette: $20.46 (survey)Sargent: $20.46 (survey)Sheridan: $18.18 (survey)Sioux: $30.27 (survey)Slope: $18.18 (survey)Stark: $18.18 (survey)Steele: $20.46 (survey)Stutsman: $20.46 (survey)Towner: $20.46 (survey)Traill: $20.46 (survey)Walsh: $20.46 (survey)Ward: $18.18 (survey)Wells: $20.46 (survey)Williams: $18.18 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$20.00$20.46survey 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)$15$20$25$30$35/hrGrand Forks (Grand Forks): market median $24.29, prevailing (survey) $30.27, gap +$5.98Grand Forks (Grand Forks)+$5.98Cass (Fargo): market median $25.43, prevailing (survey) $30.27, gap +$4.84Cass (Fargo)+$4.84Burleigh (Bismarck): market median $26.53, prevailing (survey) $30.27, gap +$3.74Burleigh (Bismarck)+$3.74McHenry (North Dakota): market median $26.38, prevailing (survey) $18.18, gap −$8.20McHenry (North Dakota)−$8.20
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in North Dakota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BurleighSurvey SUND2012-001 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260012
CassSurvey SUND2012-002 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260013
Grand ForksSurvey SUND2012-003 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260014
MortonSurvey SUND2012-004 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260015
OliverSurvey SUND2012-005 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260016
SiouxSurvey SUND2012-006 2014-08-18$21.86$8.41$30.27ND20260017
BarnesSurvey SUND2012-008 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260019
BensonSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260033
CavalierSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260033
DickeySurvey SUND2012-025 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260036
EddySurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260033
EmmonsSurvey SUND2012-025 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260036
FosterSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260033
GrantSurvey SUND2012-025 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260036
GriggsSurvey SUND2012-022 2014-08-18$20.46$0.00$20.46ND20260033

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the North Dakota prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in North Dakota?

33.7kConstruction jobsNorth Dakota, 2026-09
-0.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202534kSep 2026
Construction employment in North Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Dakota

More on North Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in North Dakota?

The median painter in North Dakota earned $26.38 an hour ($54,870 a year) in May 2025, 11% above the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $22.75–$29.16; the top 10% earn more than $37.64.

Where does North Dakota rank for painter pay?

North Dakota ranks 17th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $26.38 an hour, and 3rd after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in North Dakota?

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

How many painters work in North Dakota?

BLS counted 420 painters in North Dakota in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.68; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in North Dakota?

North Dakota's labor market agency projects +4.6% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 610 to 640 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in North Dakota?

North Dakota projects about 50 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, North Dakota 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: North Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.