Car painters refinish old or damaged cars, trucks and buses in auto repair and paint shops. This is a highly-skilled manual position for which a high-school diploma is the typical entry requirement, though workers are trained on-the-job for a few days or several months. The highest-paid painter can make more than two-and-a-half times the rate of the lowest-paid one.
Basics
As of May 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said car painters make a median hourly wage of $18.38, which is a yearly salary of $38,230. The lowest 10 percent earn $11.55 or $24,010 while the highest 10 percent make $30.41 or $63,250.
Industries
The industry type can decide compensation. The top five for this job are spectator sports, with wages of $28.49 or $59,270; local government, with wages of $25.14 or $52,280; motor vehicle manufacturing, with wages of $24.10 or $50,130; couriers and express delivery services, with wages of $22.97 or $47,770; and architectural and engineering, with wages of $21.98 or $45,720.
States
The state in which a job is performed can affect salaries. This career's best-paying are Colorado, with compensation at $25.39 or $52,800; Virginia, with compensation at $22.65 or $47,110; Connecticut, with compensation at $22.49 or $46,780; Michigan, with compensation at $22.28 or $46,340; and California, with compensation at $22.04 or $45,830.
Cities
The city of employment can affect wages. The highest paying for car painters are Boulder, Colo., with rates of $29.75 or $61,890; Minneapolis, with rates of $28.17 or $58,590; Colorado Springs, Colo., with rates of $27.31 or $56,810; Santa Barbara, Calif., with rates of $26.79 or $55,720; and Bridgeport, Conn., ecticut, with rates of $26.73 or $55,600.
Employment Levels
The industries and locales with the most employment do not offer the best income. For example, the industries having the most employment are automotive repair and maintenance, in which compensation is $19.88 or $41,340; and automobile dealers, in which compensation is $21.11 or $43,920. The states offering the highest concentration of car painters are Rhode Island, with wages of $18.07 or $37,590; and Mississippi, with wages of $18.10 or $37,650. Finally, the cities with the highest employment concentrations are Elkhart, Ind., with rates of $20.34 or $42,310; and Anniston, Ala., with rates of $17.39 or $36,170.
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