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What is an oil painter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an oil painter. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.48 an hour? That's $34,288 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 2,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreOil PainterUS Average
Salary
2.7

Avg. Salary $34,288

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
3.5

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%

Asian 7.70%

Black or African American 4.34%

Hispanic or Latino 14.28%

Unknown 5.56%

White 67.49%

Gender

female 30.36%

male 69.64%

Age - 39
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 - 39
Stress level
3.5

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an oil painter

  1. Explore oil painter education requirements

    Most common oil painter degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.7 %

    Associate

    15.2 %

    High School Diploma

    9.1 %
  2. Research oil painter duties and responsibilities

    • Paint and/or refinish repair areas on vehicle to achieve a better than factory finish.
    • Prep, prime and paint boats, fiberglass fabrication, refurbish teak, non skid decks and bottom jobs.
    • Prepared/Paint LPG tanks prepared/paint heater treaters prepared/paint oil-filled holding tanks prepared/paint separators
    • Operate compressors, stripping machines, sandblasters and spray equipment.
  3. Prepare your oil painter resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your oil 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 oil 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 oil painter resume templates

    Build a professional oil 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 oil painter resume.
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
    Oil Painter Resume
  4. Apply for oil painter jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an oil 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 oil painter job

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Average oil painter salary

The average oil painter salary in the United States is $34,288 per year or $16 per hour. Oil painter salaries range between $25,000 and $46,000 per year.

Average oil painter salary
$34,288 Yearly
$16.48 hourly

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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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