Side-by-side distribution
Foreman
$81,080
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 21.7%
- Live roles
- 267
Painter
$54,600
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.3%
- Live roles
- 131
Highest-paying jobs
Test & Balance Foreman
Solar Site Superintendent - Mechanical Foreman
Senior Distribution Powerline Technician (PLT) / Foreman
Commercial Roofing Foreman
Assistant Factory Foreman 2026
Commercial Electrical Foreman
Commercial Plumbing Foreman - Starting 60hr
General Foreman - Mission Critical Data Center
Electrical Foreman - Building Group
Electrical Supervisors (Foreman and Superintendent)
Highest-paying jobs
Experienced Matte Painter
Vehicle Painter - Auto Body Painter
HIRNG NOW! Skilled Automotive Painter (2nd Shift - 4/10 Schedule) - $6000 Bonus
Experienced Auto Painter (2nd Shift - 4/10 Schedule) - $6000 Bonus
HIRNG NOW! Automotive Painter (2nd Shift - 4/10 Schedule) - $6000 Bonus
Skilled Auto Body Painter (2nd Shift - 4/10 Schedule) - $6000 Bonus
Lead Auto Painter - $6,000 Bonus
Automotive Finish Painter
Matte Painter
HIRING NOW! Automotive Painter -$4,000 Bonus
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| FL Flynncompanies | $73,320 | 12 |
| VF VSC Fire & Security | $67,600 | 8 |
ITAC
|
$88,250 | 5 |
|
Enterprise Electrical
|
$111,280 | 4 |
Park Paving Ltd.
|
$84,240 | 3 |
|
Dave Jones LLC
|
$120,640 | 2 |
|
Royal Electric
|
$111,280 | 2 |
Essel
|
$84,200 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Carvana
|
$52,000 | 27 |
|
Sony Pictures Imageworks
|
$88,686 | 2 |
Crusoe
|
$49,400 | 2 |
|
GILLIG
|
$86,278 | 1 |
|
New Flyer
|
$76,648 | 1 |
Hawthorne Machinery Co.
|
$60,320 | 1 |
Classet
|
$57,200 | 1 |
Tayco
|
$51,854 | 1 |
Foreman vs Painter: which pays more?
The median for Foreman is $81,080 per year (typically $68,640–$108,134), versus $54,600 for Painter ($45,760–$65,203). That puts Foreman about 48% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Foreman and Painter are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.