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Paint technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, paint technicians don't need a college education. The most common degree for paint technicians is high school diploma with 45% graduates, with only 19% paint technician graduates earning associate degree. Paint technicians who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Troy University. Some good skills to have in this position include work ethic, fiberglass and paint guns.

Popular paint technician certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate , Master Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician, or Forklift Safety and Inspector. To improve paint technician qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in paint technician education paths.

What education do you need to become a paint technician?

What degree do you need to be a paint technician?

The most common degree for paint technicians is high school diploma, with 45% of paint technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 17%.
  • High School Diploma, 45%
  • Associate, 19%
  • Bachelor's, 17%
  • Diploma, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a paint technician?

You should major in automotive technology to become a paint technician. 20% of paint technicians major in automotive technology. Other common majors for a paint technician include business and general studies.

Best majors for paint technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Automotive Technology19.9%
2Business16.3%
3General Studies11.8%
4Fine Arts9.1%
5Criminal Justice5.2%

20 best online courses for paint technicians

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1. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

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Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

2. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.

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OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...

3. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment

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Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...

4. Paint Landscapes in Watercolor Part 1

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4.6
(763)

Learn how to paint realistic landscapes in a loose and free style...

5. The Acrylic Painting Academy

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4.6
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Get Started With Acrylic Painting...

6. ESSENTIAL Paint TREES in watercolor. Clear videos show you.

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Paint trees in watercolor with CONFIDENCE. Clear video demos show you how to paint a variety of trees, common & exotic...

7. Become a Pharmacy Technician

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A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...

8. Painting Machines: Concept Art Vehicles, Robots & Weapons

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4.8
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Learn Incredibly Cool Photoshop Painting Techniques to Create Professional Level Machine Art...

9. Paint Landscapes in Watercolor Part 2

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4.8
(333)

This is the second part of my Watercolor Landscapes Course...

10. Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting / FIRST STEPS

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4.9
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An in-depth, approachable look at painting materials that will make mastering the medium truly possible...

11. The Digital Painting MEGA Course: Beginner to Advanced

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4.5
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Learn to paint in 7 different styles!...

12. 5G O-RAN (Open RAN): Architecture, Procedures And Use Cases

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Path to O-RAN, RAN Functional Splits, Split 7.2x for O-RAN, O-RAN Virtualization, Non & Near RT RIC, Slicing in O-RAN...

13. How to Paint From Beginner to Master -Acrylic Painting-

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Learn Acrylic Painting For all Skill Levels...

14. Acrylic Painting - Introduction to Acrylic Painting

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4.6
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An Introduction to Acrylic Painting For Beginners. Learn how to paint in Acrylics using the Moore Method of Painting...

15. The Ultimate Digital Painting Course - Beginner to Advanced

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4.5
(15,276)

Everything from drawing fundamentals to professional painting techniques...

16. Mastering Brushstrokes - Part 1

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4.8
(2,168)

Master key brushstrokes that lie at the core of watercolor, oil, and acrylic painting...

17. OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy and Lock Out / Tag Out

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4.5
(528)

OSHA required training under 29 CFR 1910 and 1926...

18. OSHA Safety Pro: Trenching Excavation & Soil Mechanics

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4.3
(727)

A quick yet detailed certification in OSHA safety with a focus on Trenching, Excavation, & Soil Mechanics...

19. Mastering Brushstrokes - Part 2

udemy
4.8
(549)

Master key brushstrokes that lie at the core of watercolor, oil, and acrylic painting...

20. The Ultimate Guide to Digitally Painting Everything

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4.9
(1,050)

A beginners guide to painting anything you can think of...

Average paint technician salary by education level

According to our data, paint technicians with a High School Diploma degree earn the highest average salary, at $37,679 annually. Paint technicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $37,586.
Paint technician education levelPaint technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$37,679
Some College/ Associate Degree$37,586

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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