Painters in Minnesota: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
3,480 people work as painters in Minnesota, and the median pay is $60,900 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 783 painting and wall covering contractor businesses with employees in Minnesota (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 3.1 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 2.7 nationally.
Minnesota ranks 4 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 18 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 3,480
- Median pay, a year
- $60,900
- Businesses with employees
- 783
Painters in Minnesota: businesses and jobs
| Minnesota | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 783 | 38,280 |
| Their employees | 3,658 | 208,201 |
| Annual payroll | $235,125,000 | $11,485,346,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $64,277 | $55,165 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 3.1 | 2.7 |
| Jobs | 3,480 | 224,180 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 1.19 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 0.82 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What painters earn in Minnesota
| Minnesota | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $60,900 | $48,660 |
| Median pay, an hour | $29.28 | $23.40 |
| 10th percentile | $36,510 | $36,680 |
| 25th percentile | $46,030 | $42,510 |
| 75th percentile | $76,960 | $60,270 |
| 90th percentile | $91,550 | $76,550 |
| Average pay, a year | $60,540 | $53,710 |
Painters by county in Minnesota
| County | Businesses with employees | Their employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County | 224 | 1,358 | 3.9 |
| Dakota County | 77 | 376 | 4.3 |
| Anoka County | 68 | 237 | 4.8 |
| Ramsey County | 53 | 174 | 2.3 |
| Wright County | 38 | 179 | 6.6 |
| Washington County | 36 | 72 | 3.3 |
| Carver County | 21 | 41 | 5.0 |
| Scott County | 21 | 209 | 3.7 |
| Olmsted County | 20 | 193 | 2.8 |
| St. Louis County | 20 | 63 | 1.9 |
| Stearns County | 20 | 88 | 3.0 |
| Crow Wing County | 16 | 110 | 3.7 |
| Sherburne County | 16 | 59 | 4.3 |
| Rice County | 11 | 13 | 4.3 |
| Blue Earth County | 8 | 21 | 2.7 |
| Chisago County | 8 | 20 | 3.5 |
| Mille Lacs County | 8 | 71 | 6.1 |
| Clay County | 7 | 24 | 2.5 |
| Benton County | 6 | 22 | 3.4 |
| Cass County | 6 | 5 | 2.5 |
| Douglas County | 6 | 24 | 2.7 |
| Kandiyohi County | 6 | 14 | 3.0 |
| Otter Tail County | 6 | 20 | 1.6 |
| Morrison County | 5 | 14 | 3.1 |
| Steele County | 5 | 21 | 3.1 |
| Wadena County | 5 | 19 | 7.1 |
| Beltrami County | 4 | 18 | 1.8 |
| Brown County | 4 | 8 | 3.4 |
| Dodge County | 4 | 20 | 4.7 |
| Goodhue County | 4 | 26 | 1.9 |
| Isanti County | 4 | 7 | 2.3 |
| Aitkin County | 3 | 6 | 2.1 |
| Carlton County | 3 | 10 | 1.9 |
| Cook County | 3 | 7 | 4.9 |
| Fillmore County | 3 | 27 | 3.1 |
| Itasca County | 3 | 4 | 1.2 |
| Le Sueur County | 3 | 29 | 2.3 |
The homes behind the work in Minnesota
| Minnesota | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 15.6% (±0.1 points) | 11.7% |
| Homes built in the 1950s | 9.1% (±0.1 points) | 9.5% |
| Homes built in the 1960s | 9.1% (±0.1 points) | 9.9% |
| Homes built in the 1970s | 14.2% (±0.2 points) | 14.2% |
Licenses for painters in Minnesota
Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.
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Questions about Minnesota
How much do painters make in Minnesota?
The median pay for painters in Minnesota is $60,900 a year, against $48,660 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many painters work in Minnesota?
3,480 people work as painters in Minnesota, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many painting and wall covering contractor businesses are in Minnesota?
The Census Bureau counts 783 painting and wall covering contractor businesses with employees in Minnesota (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do painters need a license in Minnesota?
Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota (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 .