Explore
Residential & commercial
Painter
Ninety percent preparation, ten percent paint.
Typical pay
$35k-$70k
How you get in
On the job, weeks to months
Outlook
Steady; owners earn far more than employees
Painters prepare surfaces and apply coatings inside and outside buildings. The skill people underestimate is prep — the finish is decided long before the brush comes out.
A day in the life
- 7:00aMask, drop cloths, and cover everything
- 8:00aPatch, sand and caulk — the part that decides the result
- 10:30aPrime, then cut in the edges
- 12:00pLunch
- 12:30pRoll the walls, watch the wet edge
- 4:00pSecond coat, clean brushes, pull the tape
How to get in
Hired on a crew
Duration
2-8 weeks
Cost
$0 — paid from day one
Credential
None
- Get hired as a helper masking and prepping
- Learn cutting in — it is the skill that separates painters
- Move to spraying and finish work
- Learn to estimate if you plan to go out on your own
Go independent
Duration
1-3 months
Cost
$2,000-$10,000 for sprayer, ladders and insurance
Credential
Business license and liability insurance; contractor license above state thresholds
- Register the business and get liability insurance
- Buy a decent sprayer — it is what makes the money
- Price by the job after measuring, never guess
- Build referrals in one neighborhood at a time
Commercial and industrial coatings
Duration
1-3 years
Cost
$500-$5,000 in certifications
Credential
NACE or SSPC coating certifications
- Start residential, then move to commercial crews
- Learn industrial coatings, epoxies and surface prep standards
- Get coating inspector or applicator certifications
- Far better pay than residential repaints
What people love
- · Start immediately with almost no tools
- · Easiest trade to go independent in
- · Indoor work available year round
- · Immediate visible results
What wears people down
- · Low barrier means constant price competition
- · Fumes, ladders and repetitive strain
- · Customers judge tiny imperfections
- · Exterior work is seasonal