WAGE DATA · SOC 47-2141

PAINTER PAY
IN COLORADO.

Colorado painters earn a median of $24.35/hr (BLS 2024). 3,700 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.

// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$24.35/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$25.76/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$51K
EMPLOYED
3,700
10th · $18.85MEDIAN · $24.3590th · $31.46
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON

Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for painters in Colorado will be imported from SAM.gov in our next data refresh. These are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — crucial for comparing offers against the federal floor.

// GSA PER DIEM · FY 2026GSA

Lodging + M&IE by City

The federal government's per-diem rate is the baseline most contractors use. If your job's per diem is below this, you're subsidizing the contractor.

Aspen
Pitkin
$366
/day · meals $92
Vail
Eagle
$358
/day · meals $92
Telluride
San Miguel
$331
/day · meals $92
Silverthorne / Breckenridge
Summit
$294
/day · meals $92
Steamboat Springs
Routt
$290
/day · meals $92
Denver / Aurora
Denver / Adams / Arapahoe / Jefferson
$286
/day · meals $92
Crested Butte / Gunnison
Gunnison
$240
/day · meals $86
Grand Lake
Grand
$237
/day · meals $86
Montrose
Montrose
$230
/day · meals $74
Boulder / Broomfield
Boulder / Broomfield
$229
/day · meals $80
Durango
La Plata
$222
/day · meals $80
Colorado Springs
El Paso
$220
/day · meals $86
// ROADHAND COMMUNITY DATABE FIRST

What are workers actually earning?

Government data is a baseline. Real take-home pay — including per diem, OT rules, housing allowances — comes from workers on the ground. Submit your pay anonymously to help the next hand.

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OTHER TRADES IN COLORADO

ElectricianWelderPipefitterIronworkerMillwrightBoilermakerCarpenterOperating EngineerPlumber

PAINTER PAY IN OTHER STATES

AlaskaCaliforniaLouisianaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaTexasWest VirginiaWyoming

FAQ

How much does a painter earn in Colorado?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), painters in Colorado earn a median of $24.35/hr. That's roughly $51K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for painters in Colorado?+
The top 10% of painters in Colorado earn more than $31.46/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many painters work in Colorado?+
BLS reports 3,700 painters employed in Colorado as of 2024. Numbers fluctuate with major construction cycles — when big projects like LNG terminals or data centers start, demand spikes.
Do painters in Colorado get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Colorado is typically $150-$260/day depending on the city. Contractors may set their per diem higher or lower — if it's below the GSA floor, you're subsidizing the contractor's housing budget out of pocket.
What's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?+
Davis-Bacon rates are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — base pay plus fringe benefits. Every contractor working a federal job must pay at least the Davis-Bacon rate for that county and trade. Private-sector jobs don't have to match, but many do as a competitive floor.