Painter Salary in California

$28/hr

California painter employee wages help you assess preparation duties, coating experience, paid hours and the benefits accompanying an offer.

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What Painters Earn in California

California construction and maintenance painter wages span $20.26–$43.75/hr, or $42,130–$91,000 a year. These employee figures exclude premium pay and benefits. Compare offers for the same work, including preparation, application and cleanup. A crew painting new walls has different assignments from one containing dust during an older home's renovation. Ask which tasks and equipment the employer expects you to handle. Include the required safety training in that discussion.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$20.26–$22.85/hr
▲ 2.75% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$22.85–$35.11/hr
▲ 2.75% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$35.11–$43.75/hr
▲ 2.75% from last year

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Painter
California · Day Shift
Base rate$28.98
+ IUPAT DC 36 Painters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$11.03
+ PDCA Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship - Cerritos College (journeyperson)$5.53
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.26
Effective hourly$45.80
Straight · 40 hrs$1,832
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$550
Weekly gross$2,382
Annualised · 50 weeks
$119,080
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national sector figures describe painter employees within three construction settings. For California offers, compare duties and paid time alongside the statewide bands.

01 / 03$25/hr

Residential Building Construction

Homebuilding and remodeling employers need painters who protect adjacent finishes and coordinate preparation with household access. Ask about occupied rooms. When comparing written offers, discuss room sequencing and responsibility for protecting belongings before judging the hourly range.

+ Interior variety
+ Remodeling experience
– Occupant coordination
– Interrupted access
02 / 03$24.03/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate painting with other trades and completion deadlines. Discuss access equipment, work areas and responsibility for final touchups. A clear assignment helps you compare an offer for brushwork with one requiring spraying and work from elevated platforms.

+ Larger crews
+ Sequenced projects
– Deadline pressure
– Access restrictions
03 / 03$23.47/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Specialist painting firms handle preparation and coating systems across buildings. Ask how they allocate sanding, spraying and travel between changing jobsites. Record which preparation tasks the offer includes and equipment responsibilities.

+ Painting focus
+ Coating variety
– Changing sites
– Exposure controls

Which states pay painters the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$28.38/hr
  2. 02Virginia$22.82/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUPAT DC 36 Painters Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$11.03$22,942$00 weeks
PDCA Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship - Cerritos College (journeyperson)+$5.53$11,502$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.78$1,622$1596 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.26$541$596 weeks
EPA Lead RRP Certified Renovator (Initial)+$0.21$437$20325 weeks
CSLB Contractor License (C-33) - Painting and Decorating+$0.47$978$71939 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $28.38/hr.

40 hr week
$1,135
No OT
50 hr week
$1,561
+$21,285/yr
60 hr week
$1,987
+$42,570/yr
70 hr week
$2,412
+$63,855/yr

Questions workers ask

Does repainting a public building pay prevailing wage?▾
Yes, when the public works project is over $1,000. DIR's Labor Commissioner applies prevailing wage to repair and maintenance work too, with higher thresholds where an awarding body runs a labor compliance program. Ask which painter classification and county rate apply.
Is sprayer cleanup paid after painting ends?▾
Yes. Required equipment cleaning is work time under IWC Wage Order 16, the construction wage order enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner. Keep daily records covering preparation through cleanup. Overtime generally applies after eight daily or 40 weekly hours, with qualifying schedule and agreement exceptions.
Must I pay for my own spray respirator?▾
No. Cal/OSHA's Title 8 Section 5144 requires employers to provide required respirators, training and medical evaluations at no cost to employees. Ask who runs the respirator program before your first spray assignment.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Painters, Construction and Maintenance, SOC 47-2141; employee wages exclude premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.