How to hire a journeyman painter

How to hire a journeyman painter, step by step

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

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

What does a journeyman painter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a journeyman painter, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect journeyman painter also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of journeyman painters and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Journeyman Painter	Description	Hourly rate
   Journeyman Painter	Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, bridges, and other structures.	$12-29
   Mason	A mason is responsible for shaping artificial mineral products, concrete blocks, stone pieces, and bricks to create structures essential for construction or other building purposes using various machinery and equipment, following the highest safety standards and production procedures. Masons analyze schematics and blueprints, applying the clients' specifications and customization to their product expertise... Show more	$13-32
   General Foreman	Using their knowledge and expertise of all construction disciplines, a general foreman plans and oversees operations within a construction site to ensure that everything is running smoothly. They are typically in charge of conducting regular inspections, coordinating with engineers and architects, managing the budget and expenditures, supervising workers, and ensuring that the project moves according to the desired time frame... Show more	$17-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Coats
   • Work Ethic
   • Exterior Surfaces
   • Scaffolding
   • Ladders
   • Safety Procedures
   • Exterior Painting
   • Surface Prep
   • Paint Rollers
   • Drywall Repair
   • Caulking
   • Steel Wool
   • Paint Guns
   • SSPC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
   • Apply materials with HVLP, airless, electro-static and conventional spray equipment.
   • Smooth and sand surfaces to remove ridges, tool marks, glue, and caulking.
   • Apply necessary masking and prep work prior to applying primer and finish coats to insure proper coating for any application.
   • Climb ladders and complete work utilizing rollers with extensions requiring repetitive motion.
   • Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing.

   More journeyman painter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your journeyman painter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A journeyman painter salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a journeyman painter in South Dakota may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level journeyman painter usually earns less than a senior-level journeyman painter. Additionally, a journeyman painter with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average journeyman painter salary

   $40,885yearly

   $19.66 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level journeyman painter salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average journeyman painter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$51,404	$25
   2	Minnesota	$48,502	$23
   3	Pennsylvania	$47,859	$23
   4	Maryland	$45,427	$22
   5	New York	$45,301	$22
   6	Washington	$44,825	$22
   7	Delaware	$44,516	$21
   8	Indiana	$41,379	$20
   9	Wisconsin	$41,177	$20
   10	Arizona	$40,228	$19
   11	North Carolina	$39,602	$19
   12	Oregon	$37,405	$18
   13	Utah	$36,196	$17
   14	Texas	$35,835	$17
   15	Hawaii	$34,223	$16
   16	Florida	$32,951	$16

   Average journeyman painter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Southern California	$54,196	$26.06	1
   2	UPMC	$45,458	$21.85	4
   3	Force Construction	$43,519	$20.92	3
   4	Marriott International	$41,183	$19.80	22
   5	Mercedes-Benz USA	$41,011	$19.72
   6	Redfin	$40,156	$19.31
   7	Tradesmen International	$39,023	$18.76	28
   8	Minneapolis Public Housing Authority	$38,987	$18.74
   9	Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC	$38,427	$18.47
   10	The Spectrum Companies	$38,310	$18.42
   11	Grp Inc	$38,310	$18.42
   12	Messenger	$36,998	$17.79
   13	CertaPro Painters of Northwest Florida	$36,787	$17.69	104
   14	PeopleReady	$35,668	$17.15	10
   15	Dickinson State University	$31,299	$15.05
   16	University of Arkansas	$30,863	$14.84

4. Writing a journeyman painter job description

   A journeyman painter job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a journeyman painter job description:

   Journeyman painter job description example

   • ·Proven experience as a painter with respect to restoration construction (commercial preferred)
   • Knowledgeable in selecting the right material for the job
   • ·Minimum of 3 year experience
   • Lead Abatement Certification is a plus

   Requirements:

   • Acquire tools to perform work
   • Ability to work in fast paced environment
   • Able to travel to San Diego and other locations
   • Authorized to work in the US
   • Must be able to pass pre-employment drug screen

   Please submit your resume for further consideration.

   Our projects are mostly commercial by design with the type of work we perform. The ideal candidate will have extensive Painter experience with prepping, sanding, application and removal of articles.

   Our success is based on an award-winning team unlike any other in the industry that includes 150+ in-house builders, craftsmen and preservation professionals. This multi-disciplinary team of experts offers the most comprehensive spectrum of historical renovation services in the industry including Construction, Preservation Consulting & Design, Materials Restoration, Conservation and Themed Construction. We are one of the few companies who self-perform the entire spectrum of restoration work on our projects, ensuring skill, expertise, and quality control as well as efficient and budget-conscious project management, for an exceptional completed product.

   Developers, property owners and general contractors save time and money with Spectra Company’s comprehensive in-house preservation services and our expert understanding of construction and restoration costs and historical guidelines. We are actively involved in the industry’s professional organizations and serve on several foundations and conservancies. Whether you are restoring an older or historic property or adapting an existing building for reuse, Spectra Company’s team will guide you through the construction, restoration and approval process, from beginning to end, every step of the way.

   The team at Spectra Company are restoration experts dedicated to their craft and a shared goal to respect, restore, and revitalize our communities, one building at a time.

   Spectra Company is an equal opportunity employer.

   Company DescriptionSpectra Company is the Largest Specialty Historic Restoration and Construction Company on the West Coast. We share a passion for preservation and a belief that historical rehabilitation enhances our lives, enriching our sense of history and place, and brings our communities together through a shared culture and heritage.
   
   Our success is based on an award-winning team unlike any other in the industry that includes 150+ in-house builders, craftsmen and preservation professionals. This multi-disciplinary team of experts offers the most comprehensive spectrum of historical renovation services in the industry including Construction, Preservation Consulting & Design, Materials Restoration, Conservation and Themed Construction. We are one of the few companies who self-perform the entire spectrum of restoration work on our projects, ensuring skill, expertise, and quality control as well as efficient and budget-conscious project management, for an exceptional completed product.
   
   Developers, property owners and general contractors save time and money with Spectra Company’s comprehensive in-house preservation services and our expert understanding of construction and restoration costs and historical guidelines. We are actively involved in the industry’s professional organizations and serve on several foundations and conservancies. Whether you are restoring an older or historic property or adapting an existing building for reuse, Spectra Company’s team will guide you through the construction, restoration and approval process, from beginning to end, every step of the way.
   
   The team at Spectra Company are restoration experts dedicated to their craft and a shared goal to respect, restore, and revitalize our communities, one building at a time.
   Our success is based on an award-winning team unlike any other in the industry that includes 150+ in-house builders, craftsmen and preservation professionals. This multi-disciplinary team of experts offers the most comprehensive spectrum of historical renovation services in the industry including Construction, Preservation Consulting & Design, Materials Restoration, Conservation and Themed Construction. We are one of the few companies who self-perform the entire spectrum of restoration work on our projects, ensuring skill, expertise, and quality control as well as efficient and budget-conscious project management, for an exceptional completed product.
   
   Developers, property owners and general contractors save time and money with Spectra Company’s comprehensive in-house preservation services and our expert understanding of construction and restoration costs and historical guidelines. We are actively involved in the industry’s professional organizations and serve on several foundations and conservancies. Whether you are restoring an older or historic property or adapting an existing building for reuse, Spectra Company’s team will guide you through the construction, restoration and approval process, from beginning to end, every step of the way.
   
   The team at Spectra Company are restoration experts dedicated to their craft and a shared goal to respect, restore, and revitalize our communities, one building at a time.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find journeyman painters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any journeyman painters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level journeyman painters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find journeyman painter candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as constructionjobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit journeyman painters, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 journeyman painter

   Once you've found the journeyman painter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new journeyman painter. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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 a journeyman painter?