Skilled Wages

Painter salary in West Virginia

Median $21.26 an hour for 720 painters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$21.26/hrMedian hourly wageWest Virginia, May data
$44,230/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$14.04 – $30.6010th to 90th percentilehourly range
720Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Painter pay in West Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, West VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrWest Virginia: 10th $14.04 · 25th $15.75 · median $21.26 · 75th $26.11 · 90th $30.60West Virginia$21.26$14.04$30.60United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters: West Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

West Virginia ranks 45th of 51 states for median painter pay, and 37th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.75). 720 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$14.04 – $15.75$29,200 – $32,760roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$15.75 – $26.11$32,760 – $54,310the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$26.11 – $30.60$54,310 – $63,640the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in West Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrWheeling: $24.62Wheeling$24.62Washington DC: $24.31Washington DC$24.31Charleston: $22.86Charleston$22.86Weirton: $22.49Weirton$22.49Huntington: $22.12Huntington$22.12Winchester: $20.96Winchester$20.96Hagerstown: $20.71Hagerstown$20.71Morgantown: $15.37Morgantown$15.37
Median hourly wage for painters by metro area in West Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Wheeling$15.89$24.62$27.88$31.496016% above
Washington DC$20.00$24.31$22.32$35.604,38014% above
Charleston$14.11$22.86$25.77$31.111008% above
Weirton$15.39$22.49$25.27$33.26506% above
Huntington$15.46$22.12$25.02$30.651804% above
Winchester$16.37$20.96$21.72$26.11601% below
Hagerstown$15.75$20.71$21.99$30.82903% below
Morgantown$12.16$15.37$16.47$26.806028% below

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

Painter wages in West Virginia over time

West Virginia, 1999-2025West VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$21.26West Virginia
Median hourly wage for painters, West Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWest Virginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.75$26.57$12.86940
2000$13.01$24.32$13.101,000
2001$12.67$23.03$13.661,030
2002$14.29$25.57$13.981,160
2003$14.03$24.55$14.12900
2004$17.68$30.13$14.55890
2005$18.48$30.46$14.81740
2006$14.52$23.19$15.00820
2007$14.10$21.89$15.42900
2008$15.15$22.65$15.85870
2009$14.80$22.21$16.21680
2010$16.83$24.85$16.48740
2011$16.78$24.02$17.04750
2012$18.18$25.49$16.92740
2013$18.18$25.12$17.01690
2014$18.59$25.28$17.29700
2015$16.82$22.85$17.59780
2016$18.83$25.26$18.06720
2017$18.77$24.65$18.25880
2018$19.71$25.27$18.72840
2019$19.36$24.38$19.37750
2020$19.21$23.90$20.25680
2021$17.95$21.33$21.92700
2022$18.93$20.82$22.16780
2023$20.63$21.80$22.94670
2024$20.89$21.44$23.40800
2025$21.26$21.26$23.75720

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in West Virginia changed by -6.9% over the last ten years of data and by -12.8% since 2019.

Are there more painter jobs in West Virginia?

1.0Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 39th of 51 states

BLS counted 720 painters in West Virginia in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 12%. 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 West Virginia

+12.5%Projected growth in West Virginia2024–2034, state agency
100Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,040Jobs in 20241,170 projected for 2034
+3.0%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

West Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of painters in the state to change by +12.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,170, with about 100 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.0% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 720 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in West Virginia

On federally funded construction in West Virginia, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 14 of the 45 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.19 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.98). 31 of the 45 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Barbour County at $31.98). The market median for the state is $21.26.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WVBarbour: $31.98 (survey)Berkeley: $32.28 (survey)Boone: n/aBraxton: $31.98 (survey)Brooke: $48.19 (union)Cabell: n/aCalhoun: $31.98 (survey)Clay: n/aDoddridge: $48.19 (union)Fayette: $31.55 (survey)Gilmer: $31.98 (survey)Grant: $31.98 (survey)Greenbrier: $31.22 (survey)Hampshire: $32.28 (survey)Hancock: $48.19 (union)Hardy: $31.98 (survey)Harrison: $48.19 (union)Jackson: $31.98 (survey)Jefferson: $32.28 (survey)Kanawha: n/aLewis: $31.98 (survey)Lincoln: n/aLogan: $31.98 (survey)McDowell: n/aMarion: $48.19 (union)Marshall: $48.19 (union)Mason: $31.98 (survey)Mercer: $31.98 (survey)Mineral: $32.28 (survey)Mingo: $31.98 (survey)Monongalia: $49.65 (union)Monroe: $31.98 (survey)Morgan: $32.28 (survey)Nicholas: $31.98 (survey)Ohio: n/aPendleton: $31.98 (survey)Pleasants: $50.63 (union)Pocahontas: $31.98 (survey)Preston: $48.19 (union)Putnam: n/aRaleigh: n/aRandolph: $31.98 (survey)Ritchie: $31.98 (survey)Roane: $31.98 (survey)Summers: $31.55 (survey)Taylor: $48.19 (union)Tucker: $31.98 (survey)Tyler: $48.19 (union)Upshur: $31.98 (survey)Wayne: n/aWebster: $31.98 (survey)Wetzel: $48.19 (union)Wirt: $50.63 (union)Wood: $50.63 (union)Wyoming: $31.98 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$31.98$32.28$48.19n/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/hrMonongalia (Morgantown): market median $15.37, prevailing (union) $49.65, gap +$34.28Monongalia (Morgantown)+$34.28Wirt (West Virginia): market median $21.26, prevailing (union) $50.63, gap +$29.37Wirt (West Virginia)+$29.37Brooke (Weirton): market median $22.49, prevailing (union) $48.19, gap +$25.70Brooke (Weirton)+$25.70Marshall (Wheeling): market median $24.62, prevailing (union) $48.19, gap +$23.57Marshall (Wheeling)+$23.57Berkeley (Hagerstown): market median $20.71, prevailing (survey) $32.28, gap +$11.57Berkeley (Hagerstown)+$11.57Hampshire (Winchester): market median $20.96, prevailing (survey) $32.28, gap +$11.32Hampshire (Winchester)+$11.32Jefferson (Washington DC): market median $24.31, prevailing (survey) $32.28, gap +$7.97Jefferson (Washington DC)+$7.97
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in West Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
PleasantsUnion PAIN0970-009 2024-12-01$30.57$20.06$50.63WV20260045
WirtUnion PAIN0970-009 2024-12-01$30.57$20.06$50.63WV20260051
WoodUnion PAIN0970-009 2024-12-01$30.57$20.06$50.63WV20260051
MonongaliaUnion PAIN0804-006 2024-12-01$30.49$19.16$49.65WV20260042
BrookeUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260050
DoddridgeUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260005
HancockUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260050
HarrisonUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260011
MarionUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260015
MarshallUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260040
PrestonUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260046
TaylorUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260027
TylerUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260029
WetzelUnion PAIN0091-012 2024-12-01$29.47$18.72$48.19WV20260032
BerkeleySurvey SUWV2012-032 2012-08-13$22.33$9.95$32.28WV20260034

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

Is construction work growing in West Virginia?

35.2kConstruction jobsWest Virginia, 2026-09
-5.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k1990199520002005201020152020202535kSep 2026
Construction employment in West Virginia (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in West Virginia

More on West Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in West Virginia?

The median painter in West Virginia earned $21.26 an hour ($44,230 a year) in May 2025, 10% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $15.75–$26.11; the top 10% earn more than $30.60.

Where does West Virginia rank for painter pay?

West Virginia ranks 45th of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $21.26 an hour, and 37th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in West Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 14 counties, with a typical package of $48.19 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in West Virginia?

BLS counted 720 painters in West Virginia in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is painter work growing in West Virginia?

West Virginia's labor market agency projects +12.5% growth for painters between 2024 and 2034, from 1,040 to 1,170 jobs.

How many painter openings a year are there in West Virginia?

West Virginia projects about 100 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, West Virginia 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: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.