Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Texas

Median $21.86 an hour for 18,330 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$21.86/hrMedian hourly wageTexas, May data
$45,460/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.25 – $28.3210th to 90th percentilehourly range
18,330Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in Texas: the full range

Wage percentiles, TexasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrTexas: 10th $17.25 · 25th $18.78 · median $21.86 · 75th $23.74 · 90th $28.32Texas$21.86$17.25$28.32United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: Texas vs United States, May 2025.

Texas ranks 41st of 51 states for median painter pay, and 44th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.51). 18,330 painters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.25 – $18.78$35,870 – $39,070roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$18.78 – $23.74$39,070 – $49,390the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$23.74 – $28.32$49,390 – $58,910the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Texas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrOdessa: $23.01Odessa$23.01Corpus Christi: $22.95Corpus Christi$22.95Texarkana: $22.74Texarkana$22.74Longview: $22.60Longview$22.60Austin: $22.38Austin$22.38Houston: $22.18Houston$22.18Beaumont: $22.04Beaumont$22.04Waco: $21.91Waco$21.91Dallas-Fort Worth: $21.90Dallas-Fort Worth$21.90Midland: $21.74Midland$21.74Killeen: $20.89Killeen$20.89College Station: $20.88College Station$20.88
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in Texas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Odessa$16.88$23.01$24.50$28.301105% above
Corpus Christi$18.23$22.95$24.76$27.436405% above
Texarkana$15.97$22.74$27.07$30.781304% above
Longview$18.27$22.60$25.25$25.993103% above
Austin$18.83$22.38$22.81$28.831,8602% above
Houston$18.01$22.18$22.49$28.074,9701% above
Beaumont$17.25$22.04$24.49$26.585301% above
Waco$17.08$21.91$23.69$28.53230about the same as
Dallas-Fort Worth$17.45$21.90$21.24$29.034,570about the same as
Midland$18.31$21.74$22.69$29.061501% below
Killeen$17.00$20.89$22.93$26.841704% below
College Station$14.44$20.88$22.95$27.04904% below
San Antonio$16.77$20.88$22.05$27.689604% below
San Angelo$15.76$20.74$22.42$27.58505% below
Amarillo$15.82$20.35$22.17$26.951707% below
Brownsville$9.49$20.00$23.26$23.891009% below
McAllen$15.60$19.71$22.95$27.9611010% below
Lubbock$15.35$19.50$21.36$25.8513011% below
Tyler$16.36$19.31$20.94$25.7214012% below
Abilene$16.58$18.63$20.61$23.488015% below
Victoria$17.32$17.96$20.00$27.788018% below
El Paso$14.41$17.44$19.40$23.4125020% below
Laredo$14.87$17.32$19.91$21.985021% below

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

Painter wages in Texas over time

Texas, 1999-2025TexasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$21.86Texas
Median hourly wage for painters, Texas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTexas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.25$21.74$12.8617,000
2000$11.22$20.98$13.1018,080
2001$11.89$21.61$13.6616,740
2002$12.09$21.64$13.9816,640
2003$12.26$21.45$14.1216,660
2004$12.57$21.42$14.5515,720
2005$12.48$20.57$14.8115,980
2006$12.66$20.22$15.0016,360
2007$13.30$20.65$15.4217,460
2008$13.82$20.67$15.8518,440
2009$14.24$21.37$16.2118,250
2010$14.22$20.99$16.4816,570
2011$14.39$20.60$17.0415,870
2012$14.21$19.93$16.9216,410
2013$14.70$20.32$17.0118,000
2014$15.15$20.60$17.2918,410
2015$15.71$21.34$17.5919,380
2016$16.20$21.73$18.0618,740
2017$16.99$22.31$18.2519,890
2018$16.76$21.49$18.7220,590
2019$17.24$21.71$19.3720,350
2020$17.31$21.53$20.2517,760
2021$17.81$21.16$21.9216,220
2022$18.62$20.48$22.1615,610
2023$21.21$22.41$22.9416,110
2024$21.23$21.79$23.4018,700
2025$21.86$21.86$23.7518,330

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Texas changed by +2.4% over the last ten years of data and by +0.7% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in Texas?

-9.9%Jobs since 201920,350 then, 18,330 in 2025
-5.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 25th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of painters counted in Texas has changed by +7.8%, against -13.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -9.9%.

Painters, construction and maintenance in Texas vs United States, 1999 = 100TexasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140200020052010201520202025108Texas86United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Texas vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearTexas jobsTexas indexUS index
199917,000100100
200018,080106100
200116,7409898
200216,6409899
200316,6609895
200415,7209296
200515,9809496
200616,36096101
200717,460103100
200818,44010896
200918,25010782
201016,5709873
201115,8709371
201216,4109671
201318,00010674
201418,41010878
201519,38011482
201618,74011083
201719,89011785
201820,59012188
201920,35012089
202017,76010484
202116,2209582
202215,6109283
202316,1109583
202418,70011086
202518,33010886

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 Texas

+7.3%Projected growth in Texas2024–2034, state agency
2,370Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
27,290Jobs in 202429,280 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Texas's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +7.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 27,290 to 29,280, with about 2,370 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 18,330 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Texas

On federally funded construction in Texas, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 254 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $21.85 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $13.14). 249 of the 254 counties still use a survey rate dated 2009 or earlier (for example Anderson County at $11.75). The market median for the state is $21.86.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TXUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$12.26$13.50$15.80survey 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)$10$15$20$25$30/hrGalveston (Houston): market median $22.18, prevailing (union) $27.38, gap +$5.20Galveston (Houston)+$5.20Bastrop (Austin): market median $22.38, prevailing (survey) $25.11, gap +$2.73Bastrop (Austin)+$2.73Johnson (Dallas-Fort Worth): market median $21.90, prevailing (union) $21.85, gap −$0.05Johnson (Dallas-Fort Worth)−$0.05Hardin (Beaumont): market median $22.04, prevailing (survey) $21.26, gap −$0.78Hardin (Beaumont)−$0.78Hudspeth (El Paso): market median $17.44, prevailing (survey) $15.80, gap −$1.64Hudspeth (El Paso)−$1.64Goliad (Victoria): market median $17.96, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$3.51Goliad (Victoria)−$3.51Callahan (Abilene): market median $18.63, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$4.18Callahan (Abilene)−$4.18Smith (Tyler): market median $19.31, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$4.86Smith (Tyler)−$4.86Irion (San Angelo): market median $20.74, prevailing (survey) $15.73, gap −$5.01Irion (San Angelo)−$5.01Bell (Killeen): market median $20.89, prevailing (survey) $15.81, gap −$5.08Bell (Killeen)−$5.08Crosby (Lubbock): market median $19.50, prevailing (survey) $14.27, gap −$5.23Crosby (Lubbock)−$5.23Randall (Amarillo): market median $20.35, prevailing (survey) $14.86, gap −$5.49Randall (Amarillo)−$5.49Grayson (Texas): market median $21.86, prevailing (survey) $15.95, gap −$5.91Grayson (Texas)−$5.91Martin (Midland): market median $21.74, prevailing (survey) $15.80, gap −$5.94Martin (Midland)−$5.94Ector (Odessa): market median $23.01, prevailing (survey) $15.73, gap −$7.28Ector (Odessa)−$7.28Brazos (College Station): market median $20.88, prevailing (survey) $13.14, gap −$7.74Brazos (College Station)−$7.74Gregg (Longview): market median $22.60, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$8.15Gregg (Longview)−$8.15Bowie (Texarkana): market median $22.74, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$8.29Bowie (Texarkana)−$8.29Bosque (Waco): market median $21.91, prevailing (survey) $13.50, gap −$8.41Bosque (Waco)−$8.41Aransas (Corpus Christi): market median $22.95, prevailing (survey) $14.45, gap −$8.50Aransas (Corpus Christi)−$8.50
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Texas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
GalvestonUnion PAIN0130-002 2018-06-01$17.88$9.50$27.38TX20260248
BastropSurvey SUTX2014-065 2014-07-21$18.76$6.35$25.11TX20260285
CaldwellSurvey SUTX2014-066 2014-07-21$18.76$6.35$25.11TX20260286
HaysSurvey SUTX2014-030 2014-07-21$18.76$6.35$25.11TX20260254
TravisSurvey SUTX2014-049 2014-07-21$18.76$6.35$25.11TX20260271
WilliamsonSurvey SUTX2014-053 2014-07-21$18.76$6.35$25.11TX20260275
JohnsonUnion PAIN0053-004 2014-04-01$16.40$5.45$21.85TX20260257
ParkerUnion PAIN0053-004 2014-04-01$16.40$5.45$21.85TX20260264
TarrantUnion PAIN0053-004 2014-04-01$16.40$5.45$21.85TX20260270
WiseUnion PAIN0053-004 2014-04-01$16.40$5.45$21.85TX20260276
HarrisSurvey SUTX2014-029 2014-07-21$17.24$4.41$21.65TX20260253
AustinSurvey SUTX2014-004 2014-07-21$16.77$4.51$21.28TX20260229
BrazoriaSurvey SUTX2014-008 2014-07-21$16.77$4.51$21.28TX20260233
ChambersSurvey SUTX2014-013 2014-07-21$16.77$4.51$21.28TX20260238
Fort BendSurvey SUTX2014-023 2014-07-21$16.77$4.51$21.28TX20260247

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

Is construction work growing in Texas?

924.5kConstruction jobsTexas, 2026-09
+1.7%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k19901995200020052010201520202025924kSep 2026
Construction employment in Texas (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Texas

More on Texas

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Texas?

The median painter in Texas earned $21.86 an hour ($45,460 a year) in May 2025, 8% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $18.78–$23.74; the top 10% earn more than $28.32.

Where does Texas rank for painter pay?

Texas ranks 41st of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $21.86 an hour, and 44th after adjusting for Texas's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.1, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Texas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 5 counties, with a typical package of $21.85 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Texas?

BLS counted 18,330 painters in Texas in May 2025, 1.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.90; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in Texas?

The BLS employer survey count of painters in Texas went from 19,380 in 2015 to 18,330 in 2025, -5.4%, and -9.9% since 2019. Texas's labor market agency projects +7.3% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 27,290 to 29,280 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in Texas?

Texas projects about 2,370 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, Texas 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: Texas labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.