Prevailing Wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance
The prevailing wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance (SOC 47-2141) is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether your offer is for a House Painter, Commercial Painter, or Building Trades Painter role, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Level 1 covers entry-level painters with limited experience who work under close supervision on routine tasks such as surface preparation and basic application techniques. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and no supervisory responsibility at this level.
Level 2 applies to qualified painters with a working knowledge of standard techniques, materials, and surface types who need only general supervision. This is the most common filing level for Painters, Construction and Maintenance sponsors on LCA applications.
Level 3 is for experienced painters who work independently, handle complex or specialty surfaces, and may coordinate work for smaller crews. DOL expects demonstrated proficiency across multiple application methods and material types at this level.
Level 4 covers fully competent painters in lead or supervisory roles who set standards, direct crews, and take responsibility for project quality and compliance. Employers sponsoring a working foreman or site lead typically file at this level.
Prevailing Wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for this role
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Painters, Construction and Maintenance and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Watch for title aliasing on LCA filings
Job postings for Industrial Painter or Facilities Painter roles are sometimes filed under a different SOC, shifting the wage floor. Confirm that your employer's LCA lists SOC 47-2141 so your offer is benchmarked against the correct Painters, Construction and Maintenance prevailing wage, not a mismatched occupation code.
Account for Hawaii and California wage premiums
Painter prevailing wages in metros like Urban Honolulu, Kahului, and the San Francisco Bay Area run significantly above the national median due to strong union density and regional cost structures. If your worksite is in one of these metros, the L1 floor alone exceeds many national L3 benchmarks.
Verify your level against supervisory duties
Employers sometimes sponsor Commercial Painters or Highway Painters at Level 2 even when the role includes crew coordination. If your offer involves directing other workers or signing off on quality checks, the position may meet DOL's Level 3 or Level 4 criteria, raising the wage floor that must be met.
Use Migrate Mate to check employer sponsorship history
Painting and construction sponsors vary widely in how often they file LCAs for this occupation. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Painters, Construction and Maintenance roles, so you can prioritize companies with a real track record before investing time in applications.
Jobs for Painters, Construction and Maintenance are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-2141.00 alongside Painters, Construction and Maintenance, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Building Trades Painter Prevailing Wage
Building Trades Painter Prevailing Wage
Building Trades Painter positions fall under SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Commercial Painter Prevailing Wage
Commercial Painter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Commercial Painter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Facilities Painter Prevailing Wage
Facilities Painter Prevailing Wage
Facilities Painter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Highway Painter Prevailing Wage
Highway Painter Prevailing Wage
Highway Painter positions fall under SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
House Painter Prevailing Wage
House Painter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a House Painter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Industrial Painter Prevailing Wage
Industrial Painter Prevailing Wage
Industrial Painter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Maintenance Painter Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Painter Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Painter positions fall under SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Painter Prevailing Wage
Painter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Painter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Professional Painter Prevailing Wage
Professional Painter Prevailing Wage
Professional Painter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Texturer Prevailing Wage
Texturer Prevailing Wage
Texturer positions fall under SOC 47-2141.00 (Painters, Construction and Maintenance). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Painters, Construction and Maintenance?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Painters, Construction and Maintenance from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys administered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC publishes four wage levels for each metro area based on this survey data. Employers sponsoring a painter for an H-1B or PERM must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience and responsibility. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is a qualified worker needing only general oversight; Level 3 is an experienced professional working independently; Level 4 covers lead and supervisory roles. The employer selects the level that matches the actual job duties. If your role includes crew direction or specialty surface expertise, the level should reflect that scope, which directly affects the wage floor the offer must clear.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same painter role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC sets wages by metropolitan area using regional OES survey data, which captures local labor market conditions including union concentration, cost of living, and employer competition. The LCA worksite rule requires employers to use the wage for the city where work is actually performed, not company headquarters. A Building Trades Painter position in Kahului, Hawaii carries a substantially higher floor than the same role filed in a lower-wage metro like San Juan, Puerto Rico, purely because of regional survey differences.
What happens if an employer offers a wage below the prevailing wage for a sponsored painter position?
An offer below the DOL prevailing wage means the LCA cannot be certified by OFLC, which blocks the visa petition entirely. For H-1B cases, USCIS requires a certified LCA as part of the I-129 package; without it, the petition cannot proceed. For PERM-based green card cases, the offered wage must also meet the prevailing wage determination issued by DOL. Accepting an uncertified LCA or a wage below floor puts both the employer and the sponsored worker at legal risk.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Painters, Construction and Maintenance role in a specific U.S. city?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current prevailing wage by SOC code (47-2141) and select the metro area matching your worksite. Enter the work location carefully, since wages are tied to the physical worksite on the LCA, not the employer's address. You can also cross-reference BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for the region. Migrate Mate shows which employers have active sponsorship histories for painting roles, helping you identify companies already familiar with these wage requirements.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Painters, Construction and Maintenance right now.
Search Jobs for this role