Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a painter
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for painters? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for painter jobs.In fact, our research shows that New Jersey is the best state for painters in America. The best city in America for painters with the highest pay is Sacramento, CA.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for painters.We found that New Jersey is the best state for painter jobs, whereas Idaho is the worst.
10 best states for painters in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total painter jobs: 45 Average annual salary: $56,758 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
2. Wisconsin
Total painter jobs: 90 Average annual salary: $44,115 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 2.74
3. Pennsylvania
Total painter jobs: 91 Average annual salary: $46,070 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
4. Minnesota
Total painter jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $47,150 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
5. Vermont
Total painter jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $47,352 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
6. West Virginia
Total painter jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $50,311 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
7. Massachusetts
Total painter jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $55,761 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
8. New York
Total painter jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $51,997 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
9. Maine
Total painter jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $43,804 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
10. Missouri
Total painter jobs: 41 Average annual salary: $45,336 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
Painter jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a painter
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a painter
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,758 | $38,000 | 9,005,644 | 45 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $44,115 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 90 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $46,070 | $31,000 | 12,805,537 | 91 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $47,150 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 52 |
| 5 | Vermont | $47,352 | $33,000 | 623,657 | 6 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $50,311 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 8 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $55,761 | $38,000 | 6,859,819 | 30 |
| 8 | New York | $51,997 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 68 |
| 9 | Maine | $43,804 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 12 |
| 10 | Missouri | $45,336 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 41 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $57,328 | $38,000 | 693,972 | 6 |
| 12 | Ohio | $41,665 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 93 |
| 13 | California | $54,515 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 116 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $43,289 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 7 |
| 15 | Illinois | $48,696 | $34,000 | 12,802,023 | 25 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,733 | $33,000 | 3,588,184 | 15 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $40,770 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 12 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $43,435 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 2 |
| 19 | Washington | $44,456 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 38 |
| 20 | Virginia | $44,242 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 51 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $42,521 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 9 |
| 22 | Delaware | $45,718 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 2 |
| 23 | Alabama | $41,228 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 21 |
| 24 | Michigan | $41,473 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 30 |
| 25 | Indiana | $39,198 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 51 |
| 26 | Arizona | $41,019 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 31 |
| 27 | Georgia | $40,879 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 56 |
| 28 | Iowa | $37,878 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 50 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $38,561 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 33 |
| 30 | Nevada | $41,706 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 6 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,557 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 15 |
| 32 | Oregon | $40,219 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 29 |
| 33 | Utah | $38,949 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 23 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $37,670 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 27 |
| 35 | Maryland | $44,323 | $29,000 | 6,052,177 | 8 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $36,344 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 10 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $39,464 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 15 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $34,924 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 8 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $39,426 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 6 |
| 40 | Alaska | $30,989 | $26,000 | 739,795 | 13 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $36,704 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 13 |
| 42 | Florida | $37,498 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 116 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $35,279 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 81 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $35,231 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 38 |
| 45 | Colorado | $39,939 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 14 |
| 46 | Texas | $36,885 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 140 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,656 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 14 |
| 48 | Montana | $37,567 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 4 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $37,471 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 8 |
| 50 | Kansas | $36,368 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 13 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,873 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 7 |
Highest paying states for painters
| Rank | State | Avg. Painter Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,758 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $44,115 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $46,070 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $47,150 |
| 5 | Vermont | $47,352 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $50,311 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $55,761 |
| 8 | New York | $51,997 |
| 9 | Maine | $43,804 |
| 10 | Missouri | $45,336 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $57,328 |
| 12 | Ohio | $41,665 |
| 13 | California | $54,515 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $43,289 |
| 15 | Illinois | $48,696 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,733 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $40,770 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $43,435 |
| 19 | Washington | $44,456 |
| 20 | Virginia | $44,242 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $42,521 |
| 22 | Delaware | $45,718 |
| 23 | Alabama | $41,228 |
| 24 | Michigan | $41,473 |
| 25 | Indiana | $39,198 |
| 26 | Arizona | $41,019 |
| 27 | Georgia | $40,879 |
| 28 | Iowa | $37,878 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $38,561 |
| 30 | Nevada | $41,706 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,557 |
| 32 | Oregon | $40,219 |
| 33 | Utah | $38,949 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $37,670 |
| 35 | Maryland | $44,323 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $36,344 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $39,464 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $34,924 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $39,426 |
| 40 | Alaska | $30,989 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $36,704 |
| 42 | Florida | $37,498 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $35,279 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $35,231 |
| 45 | Colorado | $39,939 |
| 46 | Texas | $36,885 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,656 |
| 48 | Montana | $37,567 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $37,471 |
| 50 | Kansas | $36,368 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,873 |
Painter best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common construction and extraction questions.
Search for painter jobs
Updated January 8, 2025