How much do painters make in Colorado in 2026?

Painters in Colorado earn a median wage of $52,970 per year, which works out to roughly $25.47 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of Colorado painters earn less, half earn more. The bottom quarter of earners (25th percentile) take home around $47,210 annually, or about $22.70 per hour. Painters at the top quarter (75th percentile) reach $59,650 per year, which is approximately $28.68 per hour. All figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

That $12,440 spread between the 25th and 75th percentile is meaningful. It tells you that experience, specialization, and the type of work you take on have a real dollar impact on what you bring home each week.

Residential repaint work is the most common entry point for painters in Colorado, and it tends to sit closer to the lower end of the range. New construction painting — particularly large multi-family or commercial projects along the Front Range — generally pays better and offers steadier hours over longer project cycles. Industrial and specialty coatings work, including epoxy floor systems, fireproofing, and protective coatings on infrastructure, often commands the highest rates and can push wages above the 75th percentile entirely.

Colorado's geography matters here too. The Denver metro, Colorado Springs, and Boulder corridors concentrate the highest volume of commercial and multi-family construction, which means more hours and more opportunity for painters with a journeyman-level skill set. Mountain resort communities like Vail, Telluride, and Aspen see strong demand for high-end residential finishing work, where attention to detail and finishing carpentry knowledge can justify premium rates. Rural areas of the state tend to have thinner work pipelines and wages that sit closer to the 25th percentile.

Certifications add measurable value. Lead abatement certification (EPA RRP) is required for pre-1978 housing and opens up a category of work that not every painter can legally touch. OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 cards are frequently required on commercial job sites and can be the difference between getting called back by a general contractor and being passed over. Painters who can spray lacquers, stains, and specialty finishes — not just roll and brush — also tend to land higher-paying finishing and millwork contracts.

Apprenticeship programs tied to the Finishing Trades Institute or similar organizations offer structured wage progression. Apprentices typically start at a percentage of journeyman scale and step up at regular intervals, so completing an apprenticeship is one of the clearest paths from the $22–$23/hr range toward the high $20s and beyond.

No union scale data is available for painters in Colorado at this time. Wages listed here represent the full mix of union and non-union employment across the state.

Overtime is a significant factor for painters who work commercial or large residential projects. Even at the median rate of $25.47/hr, consistent overtime at time-and-a-half brings annualized earnings well above the $52,970 base figure. Painters who manage to stack a full summer season of overtime hours on a large commercial project can realistically close the gap toward — or past — the 75th percentile figure for that year.

If you're a painting contractor or employer looking at these numbers, the spread also reflects what you need to offer to retain experienced applicants in a state where construction demand across the Front Range continues to outpace the available workforce. Painters with five or more years of commercial experience and verifiable specialty skills have options, and wages near the 25th percentile are not going to hold them.