Side-by-side distribution
Painter
$23.50/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 37%
- Live roles
- 486
Plumber
$34.72/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 49.9%
- Live roles
- 373
Highest-paying jobs
Refinish Technician / Auto Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Body Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Painter
Refinish Tech / Auto Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Body Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Body Painter
Auto Body Painter (Scarborough Center)
Background Painter - Disney Television Animation
Highest-paying jobs
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
Journeyman Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
Legacy - Licensed Residential Plumber
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Caliber Collision
|
$41,600 | 34 |
|
The Boyd Group
|
$110,000 | 16 |
Carvana
|
$63,440 | 14 |
Oshkosh Corporation
|
$50,274 | 12 |
| GE Generac | $41,288 | 9 |
Amentum
|
$71,261 | 7 |
Mears Group
|
$44,149 | 6 |
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$41,080 | 4 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Renuity
|
$105,000 | 16 |
|
Mears Group
|
$51,418 | 12 |
| SI Sila | $83,200 | 9 |
|
Amentum
|
$65,520 | 9 |
|
Ace Hardware
|
$69,010 | 8 |
Comfort Systems USA
|
$62,400 | 7 |
JLL
|
$83,803 | 6 |
Superior Contracting & Maintenance
|
$117,000 | 5 |
Painter salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $56,160 | 5 |
Plumber salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $86,590 | 3 |
| London | $51,692 | 7 |
Painter vs Plumber: which pays more?
The median for Painter is $23.50/hr per year (typically $20.00/hr–$28.59/hr), versus $34.72/hr for Plumber ($28.01/hr–$40.00/hr). That puts Plumber about 48% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Painter and Plumber 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.