51
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 51-9123 |
| title | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers |
| onet code | 51-9123.00 |
| description | Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather. |
| job zone | 1 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 8,470 |
| a mean | 44,130 |
| a median | 40,860 |
| a pct10 | 28,490 |
| a pct25 | 34,540 |
| a pct75 | 50,700 |
| a pct90 | 62,770 |
| h mean | 21 |
| h median | 19 |
The day-to-day work of a painting, coating, and decorating workers typically centers on apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes. 4 of these 8 tasks are Core O*NET duties; the remainder are common supplemental work. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Among working painting, coating, and decorating workers, the most common entry qualification is a Less than a High School Diploma (59.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in New York at $68,140 and lowest in Texas at $28,570 — a 2.4× spread. The top five states (New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey) average $56,740. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $68,140 | $63,040 | $38,570 | $78,620 | 510 |
| Washington | $61,270 | $62,430 | $48,010 | $87,400 | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $52,320 | $50,580 | $40,860 | $57,090 | 250 |
| Illinois | $51,270 | $60,540 | $38,860 | $90,830 | 50 |
| New Jersey | $50,700 | $53,320 | $35,680 | $67,250 | 200 |
| Georgia | $48,940 | $48,090 | $32,790 | $62,720 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $47,630 | $47,880 | $33,520 | $62,290 | 90 |
| Virginia | $46,190 | $46,570 | $31,090 | $63,440 | 260 |
| Maryland | $45,910 | $49,000 | $37,160 | $64,700 | 80 |
| New Hampshire | $45,410 | $42,410 | $31,450 | $49,950 | — |
| Iowa | $45,390 | $46,670 | $35,840 | $58,920 | 170 |
| Nebraska | $45,350 | $48,380 | $39,770 | $64,500 | 60 |
| Kansas | $45,160 | $45,390 | $37,190 | $53,510 | 100 |
| Missouri | $45,120 | $44,860 | $33,440 | $61,370 | 200 |
| North Carolina | $45,080 | $46,480 | $31,720 | $59,910 | 200 |
| Indiana | $44,730 | $45,810 | $36,340 | $60,050 | 390 |
| California | $44,420 | $50,170 | $35,830 | $79,560 | 930 |
| Ohio | $44,380 | $43,770 | $32,480 | $49,890 | 170 |
| Colorado | $44,090 | $46,130 | $34,550 | $57,770 | 120 |
| South Carolina | $43,920 | $44,260 | $35,360 | $57,350 | 160 |
| Alabama | $42,620 | $42,130 | $27,260 | $54,830 | 60 |
| Utah | $42,020 | $45,360 | $33,280 | $59,070 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,600 | $44,940 | $33,160 | $55,140 | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $39,950 | $41,000 | $34,260 | $50,180 | 110 |
| Minnesota | $38,650 | $49,940 | $31,920 | $87,750 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $38,560 | $40,830 | $34,700 | $51,000 | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $38,300 | $38,480 | $32,190 | $46,690 | 110 |
| Michigan | $37,550 | $37,260 | $27,390 | $47,340 | 270 |
| Louisiana | $37,140 | $36,500 | $22,580 | $47,060 | 60 |
| South Dakota | $36,810 | $38,610 | $32,230 | $48,160 | 30 |
| Connecticut | $36,200 | $39,970 | $32,640 | $54,080 | 80 |
| Arizona | $35,790 | $37,790 | $32,860 | $42,850 | — |
| Florida | $35,710 | $39,880 | $28,820 | $54,860 | 920 |
| Mississippi | $35,710 | $41,460 | $28,600 | $64,970 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $35,620 | $34,510 | $18,890 | $50,620 | 380 |
| Texas | $28,570 | $30,350 | $23,160 | $40,930 | 1,110 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for painting, coating, and decorating workers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Air Brush Decorator or Air Brush Operator frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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