Painters, Construction and Maintenance

Overview

Painters, Construction and Maintenance has a national median salary of $49,400 per year, with +3% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.

Work Values

• Support
• Independence
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
• Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
• Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
• Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
• Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.

Work Activities

• Performing General Physical Activities
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Developing Objectives and Strategies
• Training and Teaching Others
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Detailed Work Activities

• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for no formal educational credential.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Painters, Construction and Maintenance:

Video Resources