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How to hire a painter helper

Painter helper hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring painter helpers in the United States:

  • There are currently 156,399 painter helpers in the US, as well as 17,183 job openings.
  • Painter helpers are in the highest demand in Houston, TX, with 6 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a painter helper is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new painter helper to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a painter helper, step by step

To hire a painter helper, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a painter helper:

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

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

What does a painter helper do?

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. Paint helpers are essential for the efficient and timely completion of a painting project. They are primarily in the automotive, home, or construction industries, where most painting work is done.

Learn more about the specifics of what a painter helper does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The painter helper 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?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a painter helper 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 a painter helper that fits the bill.

    The following list breaks down different types of painter helpers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Painter HelperDescriptionHourly rate
    Painter HelperPainters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, bridges, and other structures.$10-23
    Industrial PainterAn industrial painter specializes in providing painting services to industries such as construction and manufacturing. They typically paint, clean, or varnish various types of surfaces... Show more$12-30
    Journeyman PainterA Journeyman Painter specializes in painting walls and other surfaces according to project needs. Aside from applying paint, a journeyman painter is also responsible for cleaning and scraping off the dirt to prepare the painting procedures, identify client preferences, select equipment, and technique, and apply other finishes... Show more$12-29
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Safety Rules
    • OSHA
    • Painting Equipment
    • Hazardous Waste
    • Hazardous Materials
    • Surface Preparation
    • Customer Vehicles
    • Caulking
    • Wet Sand
    • Body Shop
    • Coats
    • Spray Guns
    • Windows
    • Auto Body
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
    • Apply exterior caulking to building joints and seams, tape around windows and fixtures prior to painting walls.
    • Sand vehicle surfaces between coats of paint and primer in order to remove flaws and enhance adhesion for subsequent coats.
    • Apply paint and stencils to product per spec using high volume/low pressure sprayer.
    • Learned how to operate and maintain HVLP and pressure pot spray equipment during summer vacations.
    • Help painters, sandblasters set up maintain sand pods full keep a safe working area.
    More painter helper duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your painter helper job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A painter helper salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, painter helpers' average salary in oklahoma is 43% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level painter helpers earn 56% less than senior-level painter helpers.
    • Certifications. A painter helper with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a painter helper's salary.

    Average painter helper salary

    $15.60hourly

    $32,449 yearly

    Entry-level painter helper salary
    $21,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 13, 2025

    Average painter helper salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$42,977$21
    2New Jersey$42,664$21
    3Wisconsin$40,944$20
    4California$40,895$20
    5Washington$38,712$19
    6Missouri$34,582$17
    7Montana$33,805$16
    8Michigan$33,482$16
    9Oregon$33,173$16
    10Arizona$32,602$16
    11Iowa$32,148$15
    12Virginia$31,903$15
    13Utah$31,404$15
    14Nevada$30,571$15
    15Idaho$30,232$15
    16Florida$29,760$14
    17Louisiana$28,476$14
    18Georgia$28,330$14
    19South Carolina$27,403$13
    20North Carolina$26,726$13

    Average painter helper salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Cenergy International Services$44,191$21.25
    2Precision Castparts$39,788$19.136
    3Belcan$37,894$18.22
    4Alamo Group$37,777$18.169
    5O'rielly Chevrolet Inc$36,449$17.52
    6Progressive Auto Group$35,750$17.192
    7Deer Valley Ranch$35,092$16.87
    8EMF, Inc.$34,936$16.80
    9McLaughlin Body$33,123$15.92
    10Aerotek$33,059$15.8992
    11Kelly Services$32,920$15.833
    12Grp Inc$32,877$15.81
    13Norm Reeves Inc$32,877$15.81
    14Five Star Painting$32,877$15.81102
    15Timco Aviation Services$32,874$15.80
    16Prospec Limited$32,747$15.74
    17Workbox Staffing$32,661$15.705
    18Globe Machine Manufacturing$32,658$15.70
    19Metalcraft of Mayville$32,582$15.6613
    20Tradesmen International$32,327$15.5416
  4. Writing a painter helper job description

    A painter helper 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 painter helper job description:

    Painter helper job description example

    What will I do? Prepare items for paint and learn the skill of industrial painting. Who are we looking for? We're looking for people who are motivated and driven to work with us. If down at the very core you're interested in getting better, in delivering excellence, and working with a group of people who feel the same way, then we can probably teach you the rest. We don't shy away from the fact that we have a demanding culture, but the benefits and the opportunities that come from a position in our family are limitless with the right attitude and ambition. Who we are. We are Intermountain Electronics, and we've been around for 30+ years. We are a leading provider of custom engineered and manufactured process and electrical systems to the mining, oil & gas, utility, and mission critical industries in North America. We have four manufacturing facilities nationwide and have been continuously growing for years. We have ambitious growth goals and we're on track to reach them as we continue to diversify into new markets. We offer awesome career growth opportunity, benefits, and stability. Why you will love working here. You will love the challenge, interesting and varied work, and endless opportunities, but most importantly you will love working with a team of fun loving, driven, and generous go getters that take deep personal pride in being part of a family that is building the infrastructure that powers the world.

    • We are looking for someone who wants to learn how to paint.
    • Position is night shift working (4) 12 hour days.
    • Ability to determine painting needs and methods to meet them
    • Read and implement painting blueprints/ plan specifications
    • Ability to meet expected quality painting requirements
    • Follow oral and written instructions
    • Read, write, speak, and understand English
    • Work at heights up to 20 feet
    • Must be able to pass a pulmonary functions test
    • Able to work efficiently and effectively in a team environment
    • Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds; Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Color Vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus; Frequently stand; sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear, walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.


    Benefits:

    Benefits:

    This position offers:

    • Competitive salary
    • PTO (Paid Time Off)
    • Paid Holidays (10)
    • Medical and Dental Plans
    • Teladoc 24/7/365 Access to U.S. Board Certified doctors
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Company Paid Life Insurance
    • Supplemental Vision, Life, STD & LTD Insurance
    • 401K- Company match up to 6% of base salary
    • Health Savings Account (HSA) with available company match up to $2000 based on family size

    An offer of employment with Intermountain Electronics is conditional upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screen, subject to applicable laws and regulations.

    Intermountain Electronics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

  5. Post your job

    To find the right painter helper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with painter helpers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit painter helpers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your painter helper job on Zippia to find and recruit painter helper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit painter helpers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    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 painter helper

    Once you have selected a candidate for the painter helper 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new painter helper. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a painter helper?

Recruiting painter helpers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $32,449 per year for a painter helper, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for painter helpers in the US typically range between $10 and $23 an hour.

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