Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Salary
The median pay for a painting, coating, and decorating workers in Massachusetts is $54,070/year ($26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $54,021 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 66.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $54K get you in Massachusetts?
About painting, coating, and decorating workers
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for painting, coating, and decorating workers, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 65.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level painting, coating, and decorating workers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary by metro in Massachusetts
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $57K | +5% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a painting, coating, and decorating worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 65.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for painting, coating, and decorating workers in Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new painting, coating, and decorating workers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,533/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 93% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is painting, coating, and decorating worker a high-paying job in Massachusetts?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $54K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for painting, coating, and decorating workers?
Massachusetts pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do painting, coating, and decorating workers make in Massachusetts?
The median is $54,070 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,220, and experienced painting, coating, and decorating workers can clear $59,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,565/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 65.8% 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 painting, coating, and decorating workers salary go in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 painting, coating, and decorating workers salary is worth about $54,021 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do painting, coating, and decorating workers 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.