Painters, Construction and Maintenance Salary
The median pay for a painters, construction and maintenance in Rhode Island is $41,590/year ($20/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $40,867 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 53.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Rhode Island?
About painters, construction and maintenances
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Pay for painters, construction and maintenance in Rhode Island runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,544/month, which is 54.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for painters, construction and maintenances.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level painters, construction and maintenances (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Painters, Construction and Maintenance salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $44K | +7% | 1,370 |
Compare to other states
Track painters, construction and maintenance salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a painters, construction and maintenance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 54.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for painters, construction and maintenances in Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new painters, construction and maintenances typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 82% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is painters, construction and maintenance a high-paying job in Rhode Island?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $42K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for painters, construction and maintenances?
Rhode Island pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do painters, construction and maintenances make in Rhode Island?
The median is $41,590 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced painters, construction and maintenances can clear $64,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,856/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 54.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a painters, construction and maintenance salary go in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median painters, construction and maintenance salary is worth about $40,867 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do painters, construction and maintenances get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.