Painters in California: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
37,780 people work as painters in California, and the median pay is $57,450 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 4,880 painting and wall covering contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 3.3 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 2.7 nationally.
California ranks 8 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 14 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 37,780
- Median pay, a year
- $57,450
- Businesses with employees
- 4,880
Painters in California: businesses and jobs
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 4,880 | 38,280 |
| Their employees | 33,206 | 208,201 |
| Annual payroll | $1,923,786,000 | $11,485,346,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $57,935 | $55,165 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| Jobs | 37,780 | 224,180 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 2.09 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 1.44 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What painters earn in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $57,450 | $48,660 |
| Median pay, an hour | $27.62 | $23.40 |
| 10th percentile | $42,230 | $36,680 |
| 25th percentile | $47,730 | $42,510 |
| 75th percentile | $68,410 | $60,270 |
| 90th percentile | $89,870 | $76,550 |
| Average pay, a year | $61,070 | $53,710 |
Painters by county in California
The homes behind the work in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 8.9% (±0.1 points) | 11.7% |
| Homes built in the 1950s | 12.4% (±0.1 points) | 9.5% |
| Homes built in the 1960s | 12.5% (±0.1 points) | 9.9% |
| Homes built in the 1970s | 16.8% (±0.1 points) | 14.2% |
Licenses for painters in California
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.
Federal rules and model codes for painters
These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
- OSHA hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200)
Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.
Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.
What you can do on Seayora in California
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Questions about California
How much do painters make in California?
The median pay for painters in California is $57,450 a year, against $48,660 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many painters work in California?
37,780 people work as painters in California, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many painting and wall covering contractor businesses are in California?
The Census Bureau counts 4,880 painting and wall covering contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do painters need a license in California?
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- License Finder: painters in California (US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
- OSHA hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .