Explore by Career/Construction and Extraction
Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.
- Median pay
- $48,660
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- +3.8%
- Stable
- Typical entry
- No formal educational credential
Key skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Time Management
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
What they do
- Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
- Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
- Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.
- Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
- Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats.
- Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
- Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level.
- Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies.
- Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders.
- Polish final coats to specified finishes.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.