Painter Salary in Virginia

$23/hr

Virginia painter employee pay ranges help you assess preparation duties, coating assignments, paid hours, benefits and the full employment offer.

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What Painters Earn in Virginia

Virginia construction and maintenance painter wages span $17.50–$30.44/hr, or $36,400–$63,310 a year. These employee figures cover building painting and maintenance work. They exclude premium pay and benefits. When reviewing an offer, connect the rate to your surface preparation, application and cleanup duties. Ask how the employer pays travel between jobs and handles weather interruptions on exterior assignments. Keep the written duties with the offer for later discussions.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$17.50–$18.89/hr
▲ 6.24% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$18.89–$27.03/hr
▲ 6.24% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$27.03–$30.44/hr
▲ 6.24% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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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
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$22.96
+ IUPAT DC 51 / FTI Painter Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$2.92
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.82
+ Supported Scaffold User$0.11
Effective hourly$26.81
Straight · 40 hrs$1,072
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$322
Weekly gross$1,394
Annualised · 50 weeks
$69,706
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national industry figures describe three settings for painter employment. Ask Virginia employers about the preparation, access and coating duties behind each offer.

01 / 03$23.47/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Specialist painting firms concentrate on preparation and finishes. For Virginia crew offers, discuss site changes, equipment responsibilities and paid cleanup time. Clarify whether the crew handles wallcoverings as well as painted finishes.

+ Painting focus
+ Surface variety
– Site changes
– Equipment handling
02 / 03$25/hr

Residential Building Construction

Homebuilding employers coordinate painting with other trades. When reviewing Virginia offers, ask about touchups, completion deadlines and protection of finished rooms. Separate new construction duties from assignments that disturb existing painted surfaces in older housing.

+ Interior variety
+ Visible results
– Touchup demands
– Deadline pressure
03 / 03$24.03/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews fit painting around access and other contractors. Ask Virginia employers whether assigned shifts include masking, equipment setup and cleanup. Discuss who supplies access equipment and how crews move it between work areas.

+ Larger crews
+ Coordinated projects
– Access restrictions
– Shift changes

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. 01California$28.38/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$22.82/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUPAT DC 51 / FTI Painter Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$2.92$6,074$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.82$1,706$1595 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.27$562$596 weeks
Supported Scaffold User+$0.11$229$358 weeks
Virginia DPOR Lead Abatement Worker License+$0.44$915$38022 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.07$146$5922 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $22.82/hr.

40 hr week
$913
No OT
50 hr week
$1,255
+$17,115/yr
60 hr week
$1,597
+$34,230/yr
70 hr week
$1,940
+$51,345/yr

Questions workers ask

Do I pay for the respirator my painting job requires?▾
No. VOSH's respiratory protection rule requires employers to provide required respirators, training and medical evaluations at no cost to you. Tight-fitting respirators also need fit testing before first use and at least annually.
Will I keep my pay if lead exposure takes me off the job?▾
Yes. VOSH's lead rule requires up to 18 months of medical removal protection benefits when a blood lead level or medical finding removes you from exposure. Your employer must maintain your normal earnings, seniority and benefits while that job continues.
Can I file a Virginia claim if a painting job leaves me unpaid?▾
Yes. Virginia DOLI's Payment of Wage Unit investigates claims for unpaid wages, including claims filed through its online portal. Virginia Code § 40.1-33.2 bars your employer from retaliating against you for filing. Keep time records and pay statements for each assignment.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Painters, Construction and Maintenance, SOC 47-2141; May 2025 wages exclude premium pay and benefits, contractor charges and self-employment income.

Last updated October 26, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.