Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Ohio

Median $23.77 an hour for 5,600 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$23.77/hrMedian hourly wageOhio, May data
$49,450/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.82 – $35.7710th to 90th percentilehourly range
5,600Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Painter pay in Ohio: the full range

Wage percentiles, OhioMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrOhio: 10th $17.82 · 25th $21.17 · median $23.77 · 75th $29.71 · 90th $35.77Ohio$23.77$17.82$35.77United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters, construction and maintenance: Ohio vs United States, May 2025.

Ohio ranks 26th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 24th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.61). 5,600 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.82 – $21.17$37,060 – $44,040roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$21.17 – $29.71$44,040 – $61,790the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.71 – $35.77$61,790 – $74,400the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Ohio

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrAkron: $27.67Akron$27.67Springfield: $27.34Springfield$27.34Columbus: $24.91Columbus$24.91Wheeling: $24.62Wheeling$24.62Cincinnati: $24.12Cincinnati$24.12Cleveland: $23.84Cleveland$23.84Youngstown: $23.75Youngstown$23.75Toledo: $23.47Toledo$23.47Canton: $23.37Canton$23.37Dayton: $22.75Dayton$22.75Weirton: $22.49Weirton$22.49Lima: $22.37Lima$22.37
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance by metro area in Ohio, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Akron$18.14$27.67$35.7846016% above
Springfield$18.14$27.34$31.248015% above
Columbus$18.40$24.91$37.079805% above
Wheeling$15.89$24.62$31.49604% above
Cincinnati$18.30$24.12$34.308901% above
Cleveland$18.01$23.84$36.401,110about the same as
Youngstown$17.09$23.75$34.73400about the same as
Toledo$17.51$23.47$33.154001% below
Canton$17.27$23.37$34.702202% below
Dayton$17.65$22.75$33.703004% below
Weirton$15.39$22.49$33.26505% below
Lima$13.94$22.37$34.41406% below
Huntington$15.46$22.12$30.651807% below

Painter wages in Ohio over time

Ohio, 1999-2025OhioUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.77Ohio$23.75United States
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance, Ohio vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOhio $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.66$28.33$12.868,770
2000$14.47$27.05$13.109,040
2001$15.03$27.32$13.669,140
2002$15.17$27.15$13.988,650
2003$14.91$26.09$14.128,700
2004$15.46$26.35$14.558,350
2005$15.61$25.73$14.817,820
2006$15.77$25.18$15.007,760
2007$15.58$24.19$15.426,940
2008$16.84$25.18$15.856,700
2009$17.77$26.67$16.215,510
2010$19.05$28.13$16.484,890
2011$18.95$27.12$17.044,880
2012$18.55$26.01$16.925,420
2013$17.31$23.92$17.015,740
2014$17.78$24.18$17.296,210
2015$17.89$24.30$17.596,320
2016$18.96$25.43$18.065,500
2017$18.61$24.44$18.255,470
2018$19.36$24.82$18.725,780
2019$19.98$25.16$19.375,870
2020$20.15$25.07$20.255,450
2021$22.21$26.39$21.925,500
2022$22.50$24.75$22.165,400
2023$24.35$25.73$22.946,350
2024$25.79$26.47$23.406,050
2025$23.77$23.77$23.755,600

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Ohio changed by -2.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Ohio

On federally funded construction in Ohio, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 87 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $51.80 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.40). 33 of the 87 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Allen County at $35.18). The market median for the state is $23.77.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OHAdams: $54.74 (union)Allen: $35.18 (survey)Ashland: $31.40 (survey)Ashtabula: $31.40 (survey)Athens: $54.74 (union)Auglaize: $28.76 (survey)Belmont: $35.18 (survey)Brown: $42.04 (union)Butler: $42.04 (union)Carroll: $50.08 (union)Champaign: $28.76 (survey)Clark: $43.12 (union)Clermont: $42.04 (union)Clinton: $54.74 (union)Columbiana: $31.40 (survey)Coshocton: $54.74 (union)Crawford: $31.40 (survey)Cuyahoga: $51.80 (union)Darke: $28.76 (survey)Defiance: $28.76 (survey)Delaware: $44.61 (union)Erie: $51.80 (union)Fairfield: $44.61 (union)Fayette: $54.74 (union)Franklin: $44.61 (union)Fulton: $58.54 (union)Gallia: $54.74 (union)Geauga: $51.80 (union)Greene: $43.12 (union)Guernsey: $54.74 (union)Hamilton: $42.04 (union)Hancock: $28.76 (survey)Hardin: $28.76 (survey)Harrison: $54.74 (union)Henry: $28.76 (survey)Highland: $54.74 (union)Hocking: $54.74 (union)Holmes: $31.40 (survey)Huron: $31.40 (survey)Jackson: $54.74 (union)Jefferson: $35.18 (survey)Knox: $31.40 (survey)Lake: $51.80 (union)Lawrence: $35.18 (survey)Licking: $44.61 (union)Logan: $28.76 (survey)Lorain: $51.80 (union)Lucas: $58.54 (union)Madison: $44.61 (union)Mahoning: $49.00 (union)Marion: $31.40 (survey)Medina: $51.80 (union)Meigs: $54.74 (union)Mercer: $28.76 (survey)Miami: $43.12 (union)Monroe: $54.74 (union)Montgomery: $43.12 (union)Morgan: $54.74 (union)Morrow: $44.61 (union)Muskingum: $54.74 (union)Noble: $54.74 (union)Ottawa: $58.54 (union)Paulding: $28.76 (survey)Perry: $54.74 (union)Pickaway: $44.61 (union)Pike: $54.74 (union)Portage: $35.18 (survey)Preble: $43.12 (union)Putnam: $28.76 (survey)Richland: $44.61 (union)Ross: $54.74 (union)Sandusky: $31.40 (survey)Scioto: $54.74 (union)Seneca: $31.40 (survey)Shelby: $28.76 (survey)Stark: $50.08 (union)Summit: $35.18 (survey)Trumbull: $39.45 (survey)Tuscarawas: $54.74 (union)Union: $44.61 (union)Van Wert: $28.76 (survey)Vinton: $54.74 (union)Warren: $42.04 (union)Washington: $35.18 (survey)Wayne: $31.40 (survey)Williams: $28.76 (survey)Wood: —Wyandot: $31.40 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$31.40$42.04$44.61$54.74n/asurvey 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 (union)Prevailing (survey)$0$20$40$60$80/hrFulton (Toledo): market median $23.47, prevailing (union) $58.54, gap +$35.07Fulton (Toledo)+$35.07Ottawa (Ohio): market median $23.77, prevailing (union) $58.54, gap +$34.77Ottawa (Ohio)+$34.77Hocking (Columbus): market median $24.91, prevailing (union) $54.74, gap +$29.83Hocking (Columbus)+$29.83Cuyahoga (Cleveland): market median $23.84, prevailing (union) $51.80, gap +$27.96Cuyahoga (Cleveland)+$27.96Carroll (Canton): market median $23.37, prevailing (union) $50.08, gap +$26.71Carroll (Canton)+$26.71Mahoning (Youngstown): market median $23.75, prevailing (union) $49.00, gap +$25.25Mahoning (Youngstown)+$25.25Greene (Dayton): market median $22.75, prevailing (union) $43.12, gap +$20.37Greene (Dayton)+$20.37Brown (Cincinnati): market median $24.12, prevailing (union) $42.04, gap +$17.92Brown (Cincinnati)+$17.92Clark (Springfield): market median $27.34, prevailing (union) $43.12, gap +$15.78Clark (Springfield)+$15.78Lawrence (Huntington): market median $22.12, prevailing (survey) $35.18, gap +$13.06Lawrence (Huntington)+$13.06Allen (Lima): market median $22.37, prevailing (survey) $35.18, gap +$12.81Allen (Lima)+$12.81Jefferson (Weirton): market median $22.49, prevailing (survey) $35.18, gap +$12.69Jefferson (Weirton)+$12.69Belmont (Wheeling): market median $24.62, prevailing (survey) $35.18, gap +$10.56Belmont (Wheeling)+$10.56Portage (Akron): market median $27.67, prevailing (survey) $35.18, gap +$7.51Portage (Akron)+$7.51
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Ohio.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
FultonUnion PAIN0007-004 2025-07-01$34.66$23.88$58.54OH20260079
LucasUnion PAIN0007-004 2025-07-01$34.66$23.88$58.54OH20260088
OttawaUnion PAIN0007-004 2025-07-01$34.66$23.88$58.54OH20260095
AdamsUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260030
AthensUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260033
ClintonUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260064
CoshoctonUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260065
FayetteUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260040
GalliaUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260041
GuernseyUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260065
HarrisonUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260065
HighlandUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260064
HockingUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260064
JacksonUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260064
MeigsUnion PAIN0093-003 2024-12-01$30.28$24.46$54.74OH20260047

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Ohio prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Ohio?

289.4kConstruction jobsOhio, 2026-08
+7.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025289kAug 2026
Construction employment in Ohio (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Ohio

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Ohio?

The median painter in Ohio earned $23.77 an hour ($49,450 a year) in May 2025, about the same as the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $21.17–$29.71; the top 10% earn more than $35.77.

Where does Ohio rank for painter pay?

Ohio ranks 26th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $23.77 an hour, and 24th after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.8, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Ohio?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 53 counties, with a typical package of $51.80 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Ohio?

BLS counted 5,600 painters, construction and maintenance in Ohio in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Ohio and metro areas, SOC 47-2141.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.