Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.

Also called: Decaler, Decorator, Glass Decorator, Glazer, In Mold Coater, Painter, Pottery Decorator, Silk-Screen Operator, Spray Painter, Sprayer, Air Brush Decorator, Air Brush Operator, Airbrush Painter, Art Gilder, Auto Body Painter (Automotive Body Painter), Babbitter, Bake Off Decorator, Bakery Decorator, Balloon Dipper, Banner Painter, Barrel Coater, Barrel Liner, Battery Container Finishing Hand, Bisque Ware Dipper, Blocker, Bottom Painter, Bowling Pin Refinisher, Braze Applicator, Brush Hand, Brush Painter, Brusher, Bun Icer, Button Spindler, Cake Decorator, Carroter, Ceramic Painter, Chalker, China Decorator, Clip Coater, Clock Hands Dipper, Clock Hands Painter, Coater, Coater Operator, Coating Operator, Coating Technician, Colorer, Cork Painter, Decal Applier, Decal Decorator, Decal Maker, Design Painter, Dial Marker, Dial Painter, Dial Refinisher, Dipper, Drawer Waxer, Drier, Duller, Duster, Dyer, Edge Stainer, Electroless Plater, Electrostatic Painter, Embossed Lettering Painter, Enamel Applier, Enamel Finisher, Enameler, Enrobing Machine Corder, Filler, Film Coater, Finisher, Foam Gun Operator, Fur Blender, Furniture Stainer, Gilder, Glass Bulb Silverer, Glass Manufacturing Decorator, Glass Tinter, Glaze Sprayer, Gold Letterer, Hand Bander, Hand Candle Dipper, Hand Candy Dipper, Hand Decorator, Hand Funnel Coater, Hand Painter, Hand Sign Writer, Hand Sprayer, Hand Striper, Hand Touch Up Painter, Hat Sprayer, Highlighter, Impressed Lettering Painter, Inker, Inlayer, Japanner, Jewelry Enameler, Keg Varnisher, Lacquer Sprayer, Lacquerer, Latexer, Leather Coater, Lens Coater, Lens Coating Technician, Letterer, Lighting Fixtures Decorator, Liner, Luster Applicator, Mannequin Coloring Artist, Mannequin Decorator, Mannequin Refinisher, Manugrapher, Map Colorer, Masker, Mirror Maker, Mirror Painter, Mirror Silverer, Neckties Painter, Neon Sign Maker, Opaquer, Optical Glass Silverer, Oxidizer, Painting Technician, Painting Worker, Panel Edge Painter, Panman, Paper Stripper, Paster, Pattern Painter, Pinner, Plate Painter, Porcelain Enamel Repairer, Porcelain Enameler, Porcelain Finish Sprayer, Pottery and Porcelain Liner, Powder Coat Painter, Powder Coater, Powderer, Print Decorator, Production Metal Sprayer, Production Painter, Putty Glazer, Resin Coater, Rug Backing Stenciler, Rug Touch-Up Painter, Screen Printer, Shader, Shellacker, Sign Artist, Sign Fabricator, Sign Letterer, Sign Painter, Sign Writer, Silicator, Silver Spray Worker, Silverer, Ski Edge Painter, Smoking Pipe Liner, Soaper, Spray Gun Operator, Spray Gun Striper, Spray Gunner, Spray Technician (Spray Tech), Stager, Stainer, Starcher, Stenciler, Stiffener, Stove Refinisher, Striper, Stripper, Thermal Spray Operator, Tile Decorator, Tinter, Touch-Up Painter, Toy Painter, Tracer, Trademark Affixer, Under Seal Operator, Undercoater, Wallcovering Texturer, Watch Hands Dipper, Watch Hands Painter, Waxer, White Shoe Ragger, Window Tinter, Wiper, Wood Stainer

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.

Skills, machines and equipment

Active Listening
Monitoring
Social Perceptiveness
Coordination
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Time Management
Judgment and Decision Making
Service Orientation
Writing
Active Learning

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma (59.01% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

37,030–50,360 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-9123.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop reliable production, safety, quality, and equipment skills; explore additional processes, senior specialist, or team-lead responsibilities relevant to your workplace.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma (59.01% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers