Painter (Trades) salary in Australia
ANZSCO occupation: Painting Trades Workers
Last reviewed June 2026
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) · 2025 data. Annual figure derived from median weekly earnings × 52.
See your take-home pay on $72,000 →At a glance
- People employed
- 50,000
- Annual employment growth
- -2,300/yr
- Median age
- 39 yrs
- Works part-time
- 14%
- Female share
- 8%
- Main industry
- —
What does a painter (trades) do?
Painting Trades Workers apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate surfaces of buildings and structures.
May lay and repair wall and floor tiles
How to become a painter (trades)
Typical education for this occupation, and courses that lead to it.
Education held by people in this role
Where painter (trades)s are employed
Share of workers by state and territory (employment distribution, not pay).
Painter (Trades) jobs
Related occupations
Similar occupations
Jobs that pay similar to a painter (trades)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a painter (trades) earn in Australia?
The median painter (trades) earns $71,708 per year ($1,379 per week, or about $35/hour), based on Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025).
What qualifications do you need to be a painter (trades)?
Most painter (trades)s hold a Certificate III or IV (51.7% of workers). Pathways vary — see typical courses above.
Is painter (trades) a job in demand in Australia?
Around 50,000 painter (trades)s are employed in Australia. Employment is changing by about -2,300 workers per year.
Earnings, employment and education data: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0. Annual figures derived from median weekly earnings × 52. Figures are estimates for guidance only.
