Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $64,090 or more. The middle half of painting, coating, and decorating workers in Chicago earn between $31,200 and $48,380.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $34KMedian
- $48K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,760 | $3,647 | $21.04 |
| Median | $33,830 | $2,819 | $16.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,380 | $4,032 | $23.26 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Painting, coating, and decorating workers in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($44,760) and 3% less than the U.S. average ($45,210). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $41,600.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $43,760 | $33,830 | $30,830 | $64,090 | 180 |
| Illinois | $44,760 | $41,960 | $31,200 | $59,500 | 180 |
| United States | $45,210 | $41,600 | $31,470 | $60,820 | 7,940 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $43,760, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $35,316 a year, or $2,943 a month and $1,358 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $36,058 | $3,005 |
| Working in IL | $35,316 | $2,943 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for painting, coating, and decorating workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $43,760 buys what about $42,241 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary in nearby metro areas
- Elkhart, IN$49,140
- Fort Wayne, IN$40,320
- Indianapolis, IN$46,710
- Detroit, MI$44,000
- St. Louis, MO$46,890
- Louisville, KY$39,610
Highest-paying cities for painting, coating, and decorating workers
New York, NY pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($66,300).
- New York, NY$66,300
- Seattle, WA$63,020
- Las Vegas, NV$61,420
- Denver, CO$58,150
- Sacramento, CA$56,600
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Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do painting, coating, and decorating workers make an hour in Chicago?
$21.04 an hour on average, and $16.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level painting, coating, and decorating workers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the painting, coating, and decorating workers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $35,316 a year ($2,943 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,760.
Do painting, coating, and decorating workers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($45,210).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-9123; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.78, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.78).
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