Structural steel painter vs finish painter

The differences between structural steel painters and finish painters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a structural steel painter and a finish painter. Additionally, a structural steel painter has an average salary of $43,093, which is higher than the $39,442 average annual salary of a finish painter.

The top three skills for a structural steel painter include scaffolding, cranes and ladders. The most important skills for a finish painter are coats, hand tools, and mask.

Structural steel painter vs finish painter overview

	Structural Steel Painter	Finish Painter
Yearly salary	$43,093	$39,442
Hourly rate	$20.72	$18.96
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	7,260	4,205
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 47%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Structural steel painter vs finish painter salary

Structural steel painters and finish painters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Structural Steel Painter	Finish Painter
Average salary	$43,093	$39,442
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $73,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between structural steel painter and finish painter education

There are a few differences between a structural steel painter and a finish painter in terms of educational background:

	Structural Steel Painter	Finish Painter
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 47%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Structural steel painter vs finish painter demographics

Here are the differences between structural steel painters' and finish painters' demographics:

	Structural Steel Painter	Finish Painter
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%	Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 35.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 48.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 26.1% Asian, 2.1% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between structural steel painter and finish painter duties and responsibilities

Structural steel painter example responsibilities.

Have ability to work at heights using ladders, scaffolding and aerial platforms.
Certify in respiratory safety, used airless suits, set up swing scaffolding, safety lines, and harnesses.
Supervise painters, daily operation of scissor lift, ladders, assemble scaffolds for use, and daily clean up.
Mask and unmask require areas to facilitate corrosion removal or painting operations.
Operate eighteen ton boom crane.
Participate in company leadership team to determine and implement need mechanical upgrades.

Finish painter example responsibilities.

Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
Perform duties including sheetrock preparation, sanding, caulking, painting and varnishing in remodels and new construction.
Erect scaffolding or ladders to perform tasks above grind level.
Sandblast all surfaces between coats of paint or primer to remove flaws and enhance adhesion for subsequent coats.
Paint steam and water treatment piping using scaffolding, safety harnesses, and follow refinery safety protocols
Support journeymen painters with daily task.

Structural steel painter vs finish painter skills

Common structural steel painter skills

Scaffolding, 32%
Cranes, 24%
Ladders, 13%
Coats, 9%
Surface Preparation, 9%
Airless Spray, 5%

Common finish painter skills

Coats, 14%
Hand Tools, 13%
Mask, 7%
Ladders, 6%
Surface Preparation, 6%
Caulking, 6%

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Structural Steel Painter vs Finish Painter

Updated January 8, 2025

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