How to hire a Spray Painter

How to hire a spray painter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step spray 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 spray painter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new spray painter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Spray Painter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a spray 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

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of spray painters.

   Type Of Spray Painter	Description	Hourly Rate
   Spray Painter	Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, bridges, and other structures.	$11-31
   Painter Apprentice	Painter Apprentices work for an organization either full time or part-time while undertaking formal training on the job. Their duties include working out needed materials quantity through job specifications, drawings, or surface measurements, and erecting structures to protect the area from paint such as ladders, scaffoldings, and drop sheets... Show More	$13-22
   Painter Helper	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... Show More	$10-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Painting Equipment
   • Spray Guns
   • Coats
   • Paint Guns
   • Primer
   • Surface Preparation
   • Aerospace
   • Safety Guidelines
   • Enamel
   • Fall Protection
   • Mix Paints
   • Powder Coat
   • Painting Process
   • Hazardous Materials

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Replace, wood trim, windows, doors, and screen.
   • Sanitize work area wearing proper PPE
   • Paint various faux finishes, murals, etc.
   • Assemble doors, jambs and windows back into frames.
   • Prep including wall paper removal, sanding, drywall repairs, patching and caulking.
   • Mask off areas of the truck or miscellaneous parts that are not being paint.

   More Spray Painter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your spray painter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A spray 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 spray painter in Idaho may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level spray painter usually earns less than a senior-level spray painter. Additionally, a spray 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 spray painter salary

   $40,155yearly

   $19.31 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level spray painter salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 16, 2025

   Average spray painter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	New York	$52,856	$25
   2	California	$50,882	$24
   3	Massachusetts	$50,849	$24
   4	Connecticut	$48,943	$24
   5	Pennsylvania	$48,443	$23
   6	Virginia	$47,071	$23
   7	Minnesota	$44,746	$22
   8	Illinois	$42,904	$21
   9	Washington	$42,584	$20
   10	Wisconsin	$42,490	$20
   11	Michigan	$40,301	$19
   12	Colorado	$39,596	$19
   13	Ohio	$39,062	$19
   14	Texas	$35,986	$17
   15	Kentucky	$34,721	$17
   16	Tennessee	$34,130	$16
   17	Kansas	$33,538	$16
   18	Alabama	$32,737	$16
   19	Florida	$31,682	$15

   Average spray painter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Harvey Building Products	$59,170	$28.45
   2	Morgan Olson	$56,305	$27.07
   3	Johnson Controls	$50,656	$24.35	2
   4	Boeing	$47,533	$22.85
   5	Textron	$46,872	$22.53	13
   6	Praxair	$46,072	$22.15
   7	Flowserve	$43,939	$21.12	2
   8	Superior Tire & Rubber	$43,935	$21.12
   9	Vencore	$43,806	$21.06
   10	Eaton	$41,798	$20.10	9
   11	The Walt Disney Company	$39,159	$18.83	5
   12	Toro	$38,801	$18.65	1
   13	Franklin Electric	$37,754	$18.15
   14	DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd	$37,689	$18.12
   15	Daifuku Usa Inc	$37,689	$18.12	2
   16	AMTEC Corporation	$37,676	$18.11
   17	Main Industries	$37,656	$18.10
   18	Texas Scenic	$37,255	$17.91
   19	Staffworks Group	$37,241	$17.90	1
   20	Espey Mfg. & Electronics	$37,091	$17.83

4. Writing a Spray Painter Job Description

   A spray 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a spray painter job description:

   Spray Painter job description example

   • The Spray Painter must have three (3) or more years experience in applying marine coating of epoxy, high solid epoxy, and non-epoxy paints.
   • Experience is also required in accomplishing cleaning using power tools.
   • Must be a US Citizen

   Required Skills: Required Skills:
   1. Ability to apply coatings using a brush, roller, and/or spray applicator while maintaining desired MIL thickness.
   2. Experience working in a physically demanding environment; confined spaces, working at heights, and use of half-face and full-face respiratory equipment.

   #zraf

   Company DescriptionOur team members are the best part of the company and they’re what make Ameri-Force great. When you join Ameri-Force you’re not just starting a new job, you’re becoming part of an industry powerhouse. By providing some of the highest wages and best benefits available it’s no wonder our average team member remains with Ameri-Force for 10 years or more. The goal at Ameri-Force is to be your employer for life. Our recruiting team works hand-in-hand with you to provide assignments which increase your skill level and add to your job experience in order to advance and maintain your career.
   
   Since its founding in 1991, Ameri-Force has become the trusted staffing services provider for multiple industries, gaining a reputation second to none. Ameri-Force has gained its stellar reputation by putting thousands of qualified & skilled people to work with companies throughout the United States. Our clients have included major organizations in several verticals including: ship construction and repair, aerospace and defense, heavy construction, light and heavy industrial, energy production and utilities, oil and gas, disaster recovery, manufacturing, environmental, railroad, and general labor.
   
   In 2009 Ameri-Force became part of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) with the company being turned over 100% to its employees. Ameri-Force team members truly own their own future and the destiny of the company is determined wholly by their actions, determination, and ingenuity.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find spray 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 spray painters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level spray 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your spray painter job on Zippia to find and recruit spray painter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with spray painter candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 spray painter

   Once you have selected a candidate for the spray painter 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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 spray painter?