Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Oklahoma

Median $21.59 an hour for 1,880 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$21.59/hrMedian hourly wageOklahoma, May data
$44,900/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$14.74 – $32.4110th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,880Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in Oklahoma: the full range

Wage percentiles, OklahomaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrOklahoma: 10th $14.74 · 25th $17.64 · median $21.59 · 75th $24.83 · 90th $32.41Oklahoma$21.59$14.74$32.41United 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: Oklahoma vs United States, May 2025.

Oklahoma ranks 42nd of 51 states for median painter pay, and 31st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.59). 1,880 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$14.74 – $17.64$30,650 – $36,680roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$17.64 – $24.83$36,680 – $51,640the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$24.83 – $32.41$51,640 – $67,410the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Oklahoma

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrOklahoma City: $22.41Oklahoma City$22.41Tulsa: $20.51Tulsa$20.51Fort Smith: $18.98Fort Smith$18.98Lawton: $18.46Lawton$18.46
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance by metro area in Oklahoma, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Oklahoma City$14.74$22.41$32.419004% above
Tulsa$12.57$20.51$25.535205% below
Fort Smith$16.05$18.98$24.805012% below
Lawton$15.00$18.46$30.307014% below

Painter wages in Oklahoma over time

Oklahoma, 1999-2025OklahomaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$21.59Oklahoma
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance, Oklahoma vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOklahoma $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.77$22.74$12.862,210
2000$11.95$22.34$13.102,250
2001$11.84$21.52$13.662,710
2002$12.17$21.78$13.982,790
2003$12.11$21.19$14.122,880
2004$11.74$20.01$14.552,870
2005$12.03$19.83$14.812,380
2006$13.45$21.48$15.002,490
2007$13.93$21.63$15.422,620
2008$14.08$21.05$15.852,710
2009$13.64$20.47$16.212,900
2010$14.46$21.35$16.482,580
2011$15.53$22.23$17.042,590
2012$16.36$22.94$16.922,310
2013$16.28$22.50$17.012,210
2014$16.31$22.18$17.292,240
2015$16.78$22.79$17.592,210
2016$17.42$23.37$18.062,250
2017$18.31$24.05$18.252,240
2018$18.13$23.24$18.722,080
2019$18.10$22.79$19.372,040
2020$18.48$22.99$20.251,820
2021$18.59$22.09$21.921,840
2022$19.49$21.44$22.161,760
2023$20.50$21.66$22.941,890
2024$21.93$22.51$23.401,830
2025$21.59$21.59$23.751,880

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Oklahoma changed by -5.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Oklahoma

On federally funded construction in Oklahoma, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 77 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $12.22). 77 of the 77 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Adair County at $13.56). The market median for the state is $21.59.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OKAdair: $13.56 (survey)Alfalfa: $12.18 (survey)Atoka: $12.32 (survey)Beaver: $12.18 (survey)Beckham: $12.15 (survey)Blaine: $12.18 (survey)Bryan: $12.32 (survey)Caddo: $12.15 (survey)Canadian: $12.17 (survey)Carter: $12.32 (survey)Cherokee: $13.56 (survey)Choctaw: $12.32 (survey)Cimarron: $12.18 (survey)Cleveland: $11.53 (survey)Coal: $12.32 (survey)Comanche: $12.91 (survey)Cotton: $12.15 (survey)Craig: $13.56 (survey)Creek: $12.22 (survey)Custer: $12.15 (survey)Delaware: $13.56 (survey)Dewey: $12.18 (survey)Ellis: $12.18 (survey)Garfield: $13.32 (survey)Garvin: $12.32 (survey)Grady: $12.17 (survey)Grant: $12.18 (survey)Greer: $12.15 (survey)Harmon: $12.15 (survey)Harper: $12.18 (survey)Haskell: $12.32 (survey)Hughes: $12.32 (survey)Jackson: $12.15 (survey)Jefferson: $12.15 (survey)Johnston: $12.32 (survey)Kay: $12.18 (survey)Kingfisher: $12.18 (survey)Kiowa: $12.15 (survey)Latimer: $12.32 (survey)Le Flore: $12.22 (survey)Lincoln: $12.17 (survey)Logan: $12.17 (survey)Love: $12.32 (survey)McClain: $12.17 (survey)McCurtain: $12.32 (survey)McIntosh: $13.56 (survey)Major: $12.18 (survey)Marshall: $12.32 (survey)Mayes: $13.56 (survey)Murray: $12.32 (survey)Muskogee: $13.56 (survey)Noble: $12.18 (survey)Nowata: $13.56 (survey)Okfuskee: $13.56 (survey)Oklahoma: $12.42 (survey)Okmulgee: $12.22 (survey)Osage: $12.22 (survey)Ottawa: $13.56 (survey)Pawnee: $12.22 (survey)Payne: $13.38 (survey)Pittsburg: $12.32 (survey)Pontotoc: $12.32 (survey)Pottawatomie: $12.32 (survey)Pushmataha: $12.32 (survey)Roger Mills: $12.15 (survey)Rogers: $12.22 (survey)Seminole: $12.32 (survey)Sequoyah: $12.22 (survey)Stephens: $12.15 (survey)Texas: $12.18 (survey)Tillman: $12.15 (survey)Tulsa: $12.22 (survey)Wagoner: $12.22 (survey)Washington: $13.56 (survey)Washita: $12.15 (survey)Woods: $12.18 (survey)Woodward: $12.18 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$12.17$12.18$12.32survey 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)$10$15$20$25/hrComanche (Lawton): market median $18.46, prevailing (survey) $12.91, gap −$5.55Comanche (Lawton)−$5.55Sequoyah (Fort Smith): market median $18.98, prevailing (survey) $12.22, gap −$6.76Sequoyah (Fort Smith)−$6.76Garfield (Oklahoma): market median $21.59, prevailing (survey) $13.32, gap −$8.27Garfield (Oklahoma)−$8.27Creek (Tulsa): market median $20.51, prevailing (survey) $12.22, gap −$8.29Creek (Tulsa)−$8.29Oklahoma (Oklahoma City): market median $22.41, prevailing (survey) $12.42, gap −$9.99Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)−$9.99
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Oklahoma.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdairSurvey SUOK2012-047 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260067
CherokeeSurvey SUOK2012-047 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260067
CraigSurvey SUOK2012-052 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260072
DelawareSurvey SUOK2012-052 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260072
McIntoshSurvey SUOK2012-052 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260072
MayesSurvey SUOK2012-039 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260059
MuskogeeSurvey SUOK2012-041 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260061
NowataSurvey SUOK2012-052 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260072
OkfuskeeSurvey SUOK2012-052 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260072
OttawaSurvey SUOK2012-042 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260062
WashingtonSurvey SUOK2012-045 2012-06-18$13.56$0.00$13.56OK20260065
PayneSurvey SUOK2012-043 2012-06-18$13.38$0.00$13.38OK20260063
GarfieldSurvey SUOK2012-017 2012-06-18$13.32$0.00$13.32OK20260038
ComancheSurvey SUOK2012-023 2012-07-30$12.91$0.00$12.91OK20260043
OklahomaSurvey SUOK2012-029 2012-07-30$12.42$0.00$12.42OK20260049

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

Is construction work growing in Oklahoma?

92.9kConstruction jobsOklahoma, 2026-08
+2.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202593kAug 2026
Construction employment in Oklahoma (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Oklahoma

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Oklahoma?

The median painter in Oklahoma earned $21.59 an hour ($44,900 a year) in May 2025, 9% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $17.64–$24.83; the top 10% earn more than $32.41.

Where does Oklahoma rank for painter pay?

Oklahoma ranks 42nd of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $21.59 an hour, and 31st after adjusting for Oklahoma's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Oklahoma?

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

How many painters work in Oklahoma?

BLS counted 1,880 painters, construction and maintenance in Oklahoma in May 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.76; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Oklahoma 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.