Commercial Painting Pay: Check the Wage Determination and Fringe Terms
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Editorial transparency
Published by The Work State Editorial under a collective topic desk, with AI assistance. Source facts, our analysis and illustrative scenarios are distinguished in the article. A desk name does not imply individual professional credentials.
Sources, method and correctionsA national painting median and a prevailing-wage determination answer different questions. One describes a wage distribution; the other can establish an obligation for covered project work.
Confirm coverage before selecting a rate
DOL explains the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts framework for covered federal and federally assisted construction. A project’s public appearance or a contractor’s general business description does not establish every applicable obligation. Ask which contract, funding and wage determination govern the work. State or local requirements can also matter.
On SAM.gov, check the location, construction type, determination identifier, modification and the applicable classification. Keep the specific document used for the project. Do not assume one county number covers every painting task or every project date.
Read base and fringe together
A determination may list a basic hourly rate and a fringe amount. Ask how the employer meets the applicable obligation through cash and qualifying benefits, with an explanation of any claimed credit. A benefit’s cost to the employer is not automatically the same as its value to you or the credit legally allowed.
| Fictional determination example | Amount per covered hour |
|---|---|
| Basic rate | $25 |
| Fringe requirement | $8 |
| Total before other obligations | $33 |
This invented example is not a local rate. If the employer claims a benefit credit, verify the allowed amount rather than assuming the entire $8 must always appear as cash. Overtime and mixed-project weeks need their own applicable calculation.
National wage context, May 2025
| Occupation (SOC) | 10th percentile | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance (47-2141) | $37,440 | $44,640 | $49,400 | $61,660 | $78,810 |
Percentiles describe the observed wage distribution, not starting salaries, minimums, maximums or years of experience. National data do not price an individual offer.
The national painting series includes work outside covered contracts. It cannot establish a project’s legal floor or show that a government-employment wage difference is caused by Davis-Bacon. Use the work classification and the applicable determination for the project rather than a different occupation’s wage median.
Keep records that identify the work
Record project, dates, hours, duties and the pay statement. If different classifications or covered and noncovered assignments occur in one week, ask how hours and rates are separated. Request an explanation of a mismatch before assuming which rule was breached.
Before accepting, confirm the expected project pipeline, schedule, travel, tools and benefit terms. A high covered rate may apply to only part of the expected work. Compare guaranteed and uncertain paid hours separately, and take unresolved compliance questions to the relevant labor authority.
Sources and method
- DOL: Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
- SAM.gov: wage determinations
- BLS May 2025 national OEWS data (original workbook in ZIP)
Tables were assembled from the original BLS national data by the SOC codes shown. OEWS covers employee wages; employment projections have a different scope and include self-employment where applicable. A broad occupation is a comparison, not an official mapping of every commercial title.
Comparison sheets and labelled fictional calculations are our analysis. They are not employer records, individualized advice or a professional eligibility determination. The text was revised with AI assistance. Sources, methodology and corrections.
