Side-by-side distribution
Painter
$24.00/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 37.6%
- Live roles
- 510
Plumber
$34.31/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 49%
- Live roles
- 343
Highest-paying jobs
Refinish Technician / Auto Painter
Refinish Technician / Auto Body Painter
Experienced Matte Painter
Collision / Body Shop Painter
Painter - Facilities - Full Time 8 Hour Variable Shift (Non Union)
Aircraft Painter 2/3
Painter
Sr Body Shop Painter
Painter
Automotive Painter
Highest-paying jobs
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
1099 Master Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
Residential Service Plumber
Legacy - Licensed Residential Plumber
Service Plumber
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Caliber Collision
|
$41,600 | 37 |
Carvana
|
$60,320 | 18 |
| GE Generac | $41,288 | 8 |
Amentum
|
$57,574 | 7 |
Oshkosh Corporation
|
$50,274 | 7 |
| CH Circle Health Group | $44,086 | 5 |
|
The Boyd Group
|
$82,770 | 4 |
| GI Groome Industrial Service Group | $47,320 | 4 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Renuity
|
$135,200 | 13 |
Mears Group
|
$50,674 | 10 |
| SI Sila | $72,800 | 9 |
|
Amentum
|
$65,520 | 7 |
Superior Contracting & Maintenance
|
$117,000 | 5 |
|
Ace Hardware
|
$80,080 | 5 |
| GV GE Vernova | $60,570 | 5 |
| SO State of North Carolina | $53,962 | 5 |
Painter salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $69,950 | 3 |
Plumber salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $83,606 | 5 |
| London | $52,597 | 4 |
Painter vs Plumber: which pays more?
The median for Painter is $24.00/hr per year (typically $21.36/hr–$27.75/hr), versus $34.31/hr for Plumber ($27.79/hr–$40.69/hr). That puts Plumber about 43% 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.