Painters, Construction and Maintenance Salary
The median pay for a painters, construction and maintenance in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $50,560/year ($24.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $46,436 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 68% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $51K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About painters, construction and maintenances
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Painters, construction and maintenance pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 66.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for painters, construction and maintenances in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg | $42K | $44K |
| Lexington Park | $51K | $50K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $47K | $48K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $49K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level painters, construction and maintenances (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Painters, Construction and Maintenance pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Painters, Construction and Maintenance salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $68K | +38% | 1,900 |
| Illinois | $61K | +24% | 6,820 |
| Alaska | $61K | +23% | 440 |
| Washington | $60K | +21% | 9,510 |
| New York | $60K | +21% | 13,040 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +20% | 500 |
| Maine | $59K | +20% | 2,120 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +20% | 4,110 |
| California | $59K | +19% | 38,430 |
| Delaware | $59K | +18% | 480 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +18% | 2,230 |
| Montana | $58K | +18% | 920 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +16% | 4,430 |
| Missouri | $58K | +16% | 3,980 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +16% | 3,810 |
| Nevada | $56K | +14% | 4,120 |
| North Dakota | $55K | +11% | 420 |
| Vermont | $53K | +8% | 550 |
| Colorado | $53K | +7% | 3,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | +6% | 5,980 |
| Michigan | $51K | +3% | 4,920 |
| Indiana | $50K | +2% | 3,510 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +1% | 3,350 |
| Iowa | $50K | +1% | 1,770 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | +1% | 910 |
| Ohio | $49K | +0% | 5,600 |
| Maryland | $49K | -1% | 3,750 |
| Oregon | $49K | -1% | 5,410 |
| Georgia | $48K | -2% | 2,760 |
| Arizona | $48K | -2% | 5,210 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -3% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -3% | 1,390 |
| Florida | $48K | -4% | 22,450 |
| Virginia | $47K | -4% | 5,930 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 1,590 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -4% | 480 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -6% | 4,090 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $46K | -7% | 3,510 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 1,570 |
| Texas | $45K | -8% | 18,330 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -9% | 1,880 |
| Idaho | $45K | -9% | 2,040 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -9% | 1,060 |
| West Virginia | $44K | -10% | 720 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -11% | 5,220 |
| Alabama | $44K | -11% | 1,570 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -12% | 3,040 |
| Rhode Island | $42K | -16% | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -17% | 2,080 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -19% | 890 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track painters, construction and maintenance salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a painters, construction and maintenance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 66.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new painters, construction and maintenances typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,837/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for painters, construction and maintenances?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do painters, construction and maintenances make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $50,560 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,600, and experienced painters, construction and maintenances can clear $74,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,392/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 66.2% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $46,436 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.