Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Oklahoma

Median $21.59 an hour for 1,880 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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: 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 work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$14.74 – $17.64$30,650 – $36,680roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$17.64 – $24.83$36,680 – $51,640the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$24.83 – $32.41$51,640 – $67,410the 75th to 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 by metro area in Oklahoma, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Oklahoma City$14.74$22.41$24.79$32.419004% above
Tulsa$12.57$20.51$22.99$25.535205% below
Fort Smith$16.05$18.98$22.10$24.805012% below
Lawton$15.00$18.46$21.49$30.307014% below

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

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, 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 and by -5.3% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Oklahoma?

1.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 35th of 51 states

BLS counted 1,880 painters in Oklahoma in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 5%. 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 Oklahoma

+2.9%Projected growth in Oklahoma2024–2034, state agency
230Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,830Jobs in 20242,910 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Oklahoma's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +2.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,830 to 2,910, with about 230 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,880 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

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 2026-11-13. 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?

93.5kConstruction jobsOklahoma, 2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202594kSep 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

More on 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 in Oklahoma in May 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.76; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma's labor market agency projects +2.9% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 2,830 to 2,910 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma projects about 230 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, Oklahoma 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: Oklahoma labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.