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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.
Other titles employers use
Building Trades Painter · Commercial Painter · Facilities Painter · Highway Painter · House Painter · Industrial Painter · Maintenance Painter · Painter
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
- Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
- Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
- Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
- Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.
- Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Time Management
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
Useful strengths
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Near Vision
- Manual Dexterity
- Trunk Strength
- Oral Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.8 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.9 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.6 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Most employers do not ask for a formal credential. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 65%
- A certificate or some college 33%
- A doctorate or professional degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Operating system software
- Word processing software
- Project management software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Analytical or scientific software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 66,700
- Job openings each year
- 5,570
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.5%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 66,700 | 5,570 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 37,190 | 3,120 | 13.2% |
| Texas | 29,560 | 2,420 | 8.9% |
| Washington | 23,840 | 2,310 | 14.2% |
| New York | 23,750 | 80 | 3.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 10,380 | 820 | 2.9% |
| Illinois | 10,190 | 780 | — |
| Arizona | 10,070 | 840 | 11.5% |
| Oregon | 9,760 | 840 | 17.6% |
| Ohio | 9,120 | 710 | 1.9% |
| Michigan | 8,730 | 660 | −1.0% |
| Virginia | 8,710 | 680 | 2.2% |
| New Jersey | 8,540 | 670 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 8,260 | 670 | 8.8% |
| Missouri | 7,740 | 610 | 3.5% |
| Louisiana | 7,280 | 580 | 5.5% |
| Utah | 6,930 | 610 | 21.6% |
| Nevada | 6,630 | 550 | 11.4% |
| Colorado | 6,600 | 550 | 11.1% |
| Tennessee | 6,370 | 540 | 16.0% |
| Minnesota | 6,340 | 500 | 3.9% |
| Indiana | 6,110 | 480 | 2.3% |
| Maryland | 5,990 | 480 | 5.6% |
| Georgia | 5,350 | 440 | 9.4% |
| Wisconsin | 5,300 | 440 | 10.9% |
| Idaho | 5,180 | 460 | 22.2% |
| Connecticut | 4,140 | 350 | 13.7% |
| Alabama | 4,100 | 320 | 3.8% |
| South Carolina | 3,890 | 300 | 2.6% |
| Maine | 3,290 | 250 | −1.8% |
| Iowa | 3,220 | 260 | 8.8% |
| Oklahoma | 3,220 | 250 | 3.2% |
| Nebraska | 3,030 | 250 | 7.8% |
| Kansas | 2,860 | 230 | 3.6% |
| Kentucky | 2,380 | 180 | 1.3% |
| Massachusetts | 2,330 | 190 | 5.4% |
| New Mexico | 2,240 | 190 | 10.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,140 | 180 | 16.3% |
| Rhode Island | 2,130 | 170 | 8.1% |
| Montana | 1,750 | 150 | 20.7% |
| Vermont | 1,710 | 140 | 6.9% |
| Mississippi | 1,700 | 140 | 14.1% |
| New Hampshire | 1,450 | 120 | 6.6% |
| Arkansas | 1,370 | 110 | 5.4% |
| West Virginia | 1,330 | 110 | 3.9% |
| South Dakota | 1,160 | 100 | 10.5% |
| Wyoming | 1,000 | 90 | 20.5% |
| Delaware | 850 | 70 | 6.3% |
| North Dakota | 800 | 60 | 6.7% |
| District of Columbia | 670 | 50 | 4.7% |
| Alaska | 540 | 40 | 8.0% |
| Guam | 250 | 20 | −7.4% |
| Virgin Islands | 70 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Rowan University
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Tuskegee University
- Degrees each year
- 12
- Admit rate
- 31%
- Annual cost after aid
- $35,000
Thomas Jefferson University
- Degrees each year
- 4
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $25,000
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Degrees each year
- 2
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Compare every college offering building/construction finishing, management, and inspection