How to hire an industrial painter

How to hire an industrial painter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step industrial painter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an industrial painter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial painter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an industrial painter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The industrial painter hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an industrial painter to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an industrial painter that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of industrial painter salaries for various roles:

   Type of Industrial Painter	Description	Hourly rate
   Industrial Painter	Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, bridges, and other structures.	$12-30
   Painter Apprentice	Painter Apprentices work for an organization either full time or part-time while undertaking formal training on the job. Their duties include working out needed materials quantity through job specifications, drawings, or surface measurements, and erecting structures to protect the area from paint such as ladders, scaffoldings, and drop sheets... Show more	$13-22
   Painter Helper	A painter helper is a specialist who assists the principal painter with the preparation of a room, building, car, or other objects. You will be responsible for the preliminary work before the actual painting, such as preparing the work area, scraping off old paint, buffing and sanding surfaces, and applying filler and taping... Show more	$10-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work Ethic
   • Coats
   • Ladders
   • Hand Tools
   • Paint Guns
   • Painting Equipment
   • Sand Blast
   • Scaffolding
   • Spray Guns
   • PPE
   • Safety Guidelines
   • Primer
   • Fall Protection
   • Surface Preparation

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Paint all prepare parts using enamel and lacquers.
   • Wear cartridge, partical, organic and force air respirators.

   More industrial painter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the industrial painter job description is a good way to get more applicants. An industrial painter salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an industrial painter in Hawaii may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level industrial painter. Additionally, an industrial painter with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average industrial painter salary

   $40,076yearly

   $19.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level industrial painter salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average industrial painter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$55,940	$27
   2	Pennsylvania	$48,328	$23
   3	Minnesota	$45,774	$22
   4	Wisconsin	$43,737	$21
   5	Ohio	$42,928	$21
   6	Washington	$42,750	$21
   7	Illinois	$42,331	$20
   8	Missouri	$42,196	$20
   9	Virginia	$40,588	$20
   10	Colorado	$39,898	$19
   11	Indiana	$39,418	$19
   12	Oregon	$38,756	$19
   13	North Carolina	$37,080	$18
   14	Iowa	$36,837	$18
   15	South Carolina	$36,080	$17
   16	Texas	$35,554	$17
   17	Florida	$35,242	$17
   18	Georgia	$34,930	$17
   19	Oklahoma	$34,826	$17
   20	Tennessee	$34,482	$17

   Average industrial painter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jacobs Engineering Group	$72,154	$34.69
   2	Elma Electronic	$67,129	$32.27
   3	Covanta	$53,300	$25.63
   4	Johnson Controls	$49,991	$24.03	2
   5	Great Basin College	$48,688	$23.41	3
   6	GOJO Industries	$48,344	$23.24
   7	EMCOR Group	$47,248	$22.72	6
   8	AAON	$46,695	$22.45
   9	Watco	$46,675	$22.44
   10	Textron	$46,658	$22.43	8
   11	Conductix-Wampfler	$46,154	$22.19
   12	Barry-Wehmiller	$45,202	$21.73	4
   13	Tenneco	$45,059	$21.66	1
   14	BAE Systems	$44,503	$21.40	14
   15	CTG	$44,337	$21.32
   16	Oshkosh	$43,907	$21.11	18
   17	Steffes	$43,575	$20.95	2
   18	Stanley Black & Decker	$42,397	$20.38	5
   19	Plasser American	$42,129	$20.25
   20	Eaton	$42,127	$20.25	10

4. Writing an industrial painter job description

   A good industrial painter job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an industrial painter job description:

   Industrial painter job description example

   A core of Vital Link, Inc.'s business is in the fabrication of structural steel for commercial, industrial, and military applications, and the fabrication of various acoustical products, assemblies, and special products for sound suppression applications. The Painter in general shall be responsible for ensuring that all assemblies are properly Finished, including painting and galvanizing, prior to shipment.
   
   Position requires strong experience and knowledge of air and airless spray painting, specifically the operation of this type of paint equipment. It requires the ability to understand and implement paint manufacturer's instructions, MSDS sheets, sequence work, properly move and setup heavy material by hand, with overhead cranes and with forklifts.
   
   1. Direct the work of those assigned to the Finish department to help in the painting/finishing effort, including sand blasters, helpers, and general laborers.
   
   2. Ensure that parts and assemblies are cleaned and prepped, primed, and painted in accordance with the shop drawings and cut sheets, including manufacturer's instructions. Perform rework of material finish on parts or assemblies as directed by the Quality Control Manager.
   
   3. Ensure that all steps, inspections, and other instructions as shown on the work control sheets and manufacturer's instructions are followed and documented. Ensure that material and part identification is maintained during finish activities.
   
   4. Notify VLI Supervision/Management in advance or supplies, primers, paints, thinners, and miscellaneous equipment needed to accomplish planned work tasks. Promptly report any design or detail errors or problems that are discovered to the Plant Manager, prepare for review/discussion at Production meetings.
   
   5. Devise tables, supports, and fixtures required to support assemblies and components during finish work.
   6. Coordinate work with other workers and Department Supervisors. 7. Ensure that appropriate safety practices, equipment, and gear are used. 8. Ensure that all problems with equipment and machinery are promptly reported to the Maintenance Department or Management. Halt production on equipment and machinery if they cannot be safely operated. 9. Ensure that the finish area, equipment, tools, and supplies are kept in a neat and orderly manner. Responsible for maintaining paint shed, including proper marking, storage, and preparation of containers for disposal by the Maintenance Department. 10. Responsible for coordinating loading activities with the Shipping and Receiving Department. Includes coordinating loading of parts for galvanizing, and return or final shipment of galvanized materials. 11. Responsible for notifying management when supplies, including thinner, paint, filters, etc. are needed in time for the supplies to be obtained before they run out. Secondary Functions: The Painter will perform other duties as required my management when painting duties are not available. Training: The Painter must be trained in the skills required to perform as described in this job description, including the proper application of all the different types of coating required by customer contracts, the proper use of the spray painting equipment, the proper use of safety equipment including respirators, the proper use of material handling equipment including the proper use of forklifts and overhead cranes, and the proper storage and allocation of paints and thinners. Education: A high school degree is preferred but not required. Experience: A minimum of three years experience is preferred but skill, knowledge, and discipline will be the deciding factors. Licenses/Certification: None is required. Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Must have good spray painting technique and a good eye for the proper coverage and coating thickness being deposited. Must be very knowledgeable in paint equipment application, maintenance, and trouble shooting. Must be experienced in the mixing of different types of coatings to minimize application problems. Physical: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Body Positions: Standing, stooping, crouching, and bending for long periods of time. Body Movements: The employee must have a full range of body movements including the use of hands to fingers, handle or feel objects, climbing, bending, reaching, stooping and crouching for long periods of time. Body Senses: Must have command of all five senses: sight, hearing, and touch. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust and focus on faint shades and shadows. Must hear and speak well enough to communicate all to coworkers, supervisors, and managers the responsibilities above. Strength: Must be able to properly lift moderate and heavy steel parts, equipment, and supplies on a routine basis. Working Conditions: This position will be working primarily outdoors in all types of weather. The Painter is exposed to heavy amounts of potentially hazardous dust and fumes requiring the use of safety glasses or goggles, NACE approved masks and respirator safety equipment. This position requires the physical capability to perform finish work as well as moderate to heavy lifting, and ability to work while wearing a respirator and other protective equipment and clothing. The noise level in the work environment is often quite high, which requires hearing protection. Usually eight (8) to ten (10) hour workdays four (4) or (5) days per week with occasional Saturday and Sunday work, as well as additional early and/or late workdays to accommodate special business circumstances. Company DescriptionAtec, Inc., provides high quality products and services for Aerospace and Energy. Our 68 years of experience in design, manufacturing, construction, procurement, maintenance, and field service offer confidence and value to our customers worldwide. We provide harsh environment solutions for medium volume requirements involving engine test, aero support equipment, constructed facilities, space flight components and energy service products. Celtech Corp., the global leader in fabrication of Jet and Turboprop Test Stands, bolsters our reach and capabilities for heavy production. Vital Link, Inc. brings the world’s leading noise suppressor & hush house firm to our corporate family. Hager Machine & Tool, Inc. broadens our capacity with 40 years of oil patch & industrial machining.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find industrial painters for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your industrial painter job on Zippia to find and attract quality industrial painter candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting industrial painters requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial painter

   Once you have selected a candidate for the industrial painter position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new industrial painter first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an industrial painter?