Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.

Also called: Automotive Painter (Auto Painter), Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech), Coater Operator, Hand Sprayer, Industrial Painter, Paint Technician (Paint Tech), Painter, Powder Coater, Spray Painter, Top Coater, Abrasive Coating Machine Operator, Abrasive Coating Machine Setup Operator, Air Drier, Air Drier Machine Operator, Aircraft Painter, Auto Body Painter (Automotive Body Painter), Auto Painter (Automobile Painter), Auto Refinisher (Automobile Refinisher), Auto Striper (Automotive Striper), Automatic Paint Sprayer Operator, Automobile Body Painter, Automotive Paint Prepper (Auto Paint Prepper), Automotive Paint Technician (Auto Paint Tech), Automotive Spray Painter (Auto Spray Painter), Black Off Worker, Blackener, Blacker, Boat Painter, Body Painter, Bonderite Operator, Bonderizer, Bonderizer Operator, Brake Linings Coater, Bronzer, Browner, Buckle Strap Drum Operator, Calender Operator, Car Finish Man, Car Painter, Carbon Coating Machine Operator, Carbon Paper Coating Machine Setter, Cast Iron Dipper, Cathode Maker, Coater, Coating Machine Operator, Coating Operator, Colorman, Dagger, Depositing Machine Operator, Dip Filler, Dip Painter, Dipper, Dipper Operator, Disintegrator, Dixonac Operator, Dope Sprayer, Dopeman, Doper, Drier Operator, Drum Sprayer, Duco Polisher, Electrostatic Paint Operator, Electrostatic Powder Coating Technician, Embossing Unit Operator, Emulsion Coater, Enamel Dipper, Enamel Machine Operator, Enameler, Enrobing Machine Operator, Finish Painter, Finisher Operator, First Calender Worker, Foam Machine Operator, Four Roll Calender Operator, Foxing Painter, Furniture Dipper, Furniture Painter, Furniture Sprayer, Getter Filler, Getter Operator, Gettering Operator, Glazing Machine Operator, Glue Size Machine Operator, Hardboard Coating Machine Operator, Hot Dipper, Icer Machine Operator, Impregnating Tank Operator, Impregnation Operator, Impregnator, Industrial Spray Painter, Insulation Board Calender Operator, Lacquer Spray Booth Operator, Laminating Press Operator, Latexer, Machine Heel Sprayer, Machine Icer, Machine Operator, Machine Sprayer, Marbleizer, Mastic Sprayer, Mechanical Striper, Mobile Paint Specialist, Ornamental Machine Operator, Paint Dipper, Paint Line Operator, Paint Operator, Paint Preparation Technician (Paint Prep Tech), Paint Prepper, Paint Specialist, Paint Spray Tender, Painting Machine Operator, Paper Coater, Paper Coating Machine Operator, Paraffin Machine Operator, Paraffiner, Pill Coater, Prefinish Operator, Pressure Washer, Primer Waterproofing Machine Adjuster, Printed Circuit Boards Coating Equipment Operator (PCB Coating Equipment Operator), Production Finisher, Production Painter, Railroad Car Letterer, Railroad Car Painter, Recoating Machine Operator, Redipper, Reed Dipper, Refinish Technician, Ribbon Inker, Roofing Machine Operator, Rust Proofer, Sandblaster, Sandblaster Paint Sprayer, Sanding Machine Operator, Saturator Tender, Screen Tender, Sensitizer, Shipyard Painter, Shot Coat Tender, Silk Screen Operator, Silvering Applicator, Sizing Machine Operator, Smoking Pipe Coater, Spray Foam Applicator, Spray Machine Operator, Spray Painting Machine Operator, Spray Technician (Spray Tech), Spraying Machine Operator, Spreading Machine Operator, Stain Applicator, Staining Machine Operator, Supercalender Operator, Tablet Coater, Tactical Vehicle Painter, Tape Coater, Tarring Machine Operator, Tinner, Tip Bander, Touch Up Painter, Transportation Equipment Painter, Tumbling Barrel Painter, Varnisher, Varnishing Machine Operator, Varnishing Unit Tool Setter, Vehicle Painter, Wad Impregnator, Waterproofing Technician (Waterproofing Tech), Wax Machine Operator, Waxing Machine Operator, Whiting Machine Operator, Wire Coater, Wire Coating Machine Operator

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

What the worker does

Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
Clean equipment and work areas.
Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
Start and stop operation of machines, using levers or buttons.
Determine paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Monitoring
Operation and Control
Quality Control Analysis
Equipment Maintenance
Repairing
Coordination
Complex Problem Solving
Equipment Selection
Troubleshooting
Time Management
Critical Thinking

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (62.67% 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

40,590–59,680 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-9124.

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: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (62.67% 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.

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders