# Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

> Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/painting-coating-and-decorating-workers
- SOC code: 51-9123.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $41,600 (10th percentile $31,470, 90th percentile $60,820)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.3%
- Openings a year: 700
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RAC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 99 |
| Investigative (I) | 6 |
| Artistic (A) | 40 |
| Social (S) | 10 |
| Enterprising (E) | 0 |
| Conventional (C) | 40 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 78/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 70/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 66/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 64/100)
- Getting Information (importance 64/100)
- Processing Information (importance 63/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 60/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 59/100)
- Monitoring and Controlling Resources (importance 57/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Coordination, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Design, Chemistry, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Air Brush Decorator, Air Brush Operator, Airbrush Painter, Art Gilder, Auto Body Painter (Automotive Body Painter), Babbitter, Bake Off Decorator, Bakery Decorator, Balloon Dipper, Banner Painter

## Related careers

- [Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/coating-painting-and-spraying-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders): $48,250 median pay
- [Etchers and Engravers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/etchers-and-engravers): $43,310 median pay
- [Painters, Construction and Maintenance](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/painters-construction-and-maintenance): $49,400 median pay
- [Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/molders-shapers-and-casters-except-metal-and-plastic): $46,170 median pay
- [Furniture Finishers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/furniture-finishers): $44,540 median pay
- [Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/grinding-and-polishing-workers-hand): $42,660 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.