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What is an industrial painter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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Industrial painters clean, paint, and varnish. Their primary duty in this role includes painting buildings, houses, or cars, cleaning surfaces before layering color, and maintaining technical equipment for the job. They need to safely dispose of chemical waste and ensure high safety standards are met.

Even though some industrial painters have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED and the skills to operate spray painting equipment. New workers are trained but tend to prefer applicants with at least one year of industrial painting experience.

An industrial painter's average salary is roughly $36,671 per year, which is $17.63 per hour. Painters work indoors and outdoors depending upon the work and demanding a lot of bending, kneeling, reaching, and climbing.

ScoreIndustrial PainterUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $40,076

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.4

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 2.09%

Black or African American 9.03%

Hispanic or Latino 29.32%

Unknown 4.61%

White 54.08%

Gender

female 6.72%

male 93.28%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Industrial painter career paths

Key steps to become an industrial painter

  1. Explore industrial painter education requirements

    Most common industrial painter degrees

    High School Diploma

    51.7 %

    Associate

    16.5 %

    Diploma

    16.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific industrial painter skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Work Ethic12.27%
    Coats8.99%
    Ladders6.49%
    Hand Tools4.91%
    Paint Guns4.89%
  3. Complete relevant industrial painter training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New industrial painters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an industrial painter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real industrial painter resumes.
  4. Research industrial painter duties and responsibilities

    • Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, and erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders
    • Full PPE protection provide suits, full face air supply respirators, safety glasses, gloves of different types.
    • Lead painter for aerospace finishing company.
    • Apply coatings with desire mil thickness.
  5. Prepare your industrial painter resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your industrial painter resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an industrial painter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable industrial painter resume templates

    Build a professional industrial painter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your industrial painter resume.
    Industrial Painter Resume
    Industrial Painter Resume
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    Industrial Painter Resume
    Industrial Painter Resume
    Industrial Painter Resume
    Industrial Painter Resume
    Industrial Painter Resume
  6. Apply for industrial painter jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an industrial painter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first industrial painter job

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Average industrial painter salary

The average industrial painter salary in the United States is $40,076 per year or $19 per hour. Industrial painter salaries range between $25,000 and $64,000 per year.

Average industrial painter salary
$40,076 Yearly
$19.27 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do industrial painters rate their job?

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Industrial painter reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

When you start a job that looks terrible and when you get done the customers look of satisfaction

Cons

Clean up lol


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022
Pros

The finished product! My work reflects my attention to detail and quality craftsmanship!

Cons

Not being able to work ! Whether it be weather related or delays of any kind!


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

I love painting. Painting has been my dream from young age. I grew up watching pimp my ride but painting was the first thing i fell in love with

Cons

Well i cant say there are thing i dont like bout painting. It something that need dedication. All i dont like is Bad preparation when it comes to painting


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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