Painter (Trades) salary in Australia
ANZSCO occupation: Painting Trades Workers
Last reviewed July 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
- 5-yr projected growth
- +3.6%
- Skills shortage rating
- Shortage
- Main industry
- Construction
- Works full-time
- 86%
- Avg full-time hours
- 42 hrs/wk
- Works part-time
- 14%
- Female share
- 8%
- Median age
- 39 yrs
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025)
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.
- Erecting scaffolding and ladders, and placing drop sheets to protect adjacent areas from paint splattering
- Preparing surfaces by removing old paint and wallpaper, fixing woodwork, filling holes and cracks, and smoothing and sealing surfaces
- Selecting and preparing paints to required colours by mixing portions of pigment, oil, and thinning and drying additives
- Applying paints, varnishes and stains to surfaces using brushes, rollers and sprays
- Hanging wallpaper, matching patterns and trimming edges
- Cleaning equipment and work areas
- May repair windows and replace glass in wooden and metal frames
- 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.
Employment projections: Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Skills shortage ratings: Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
The ABS median refers to full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate; individual pay varies. Annual figures derived from median weekly earnings × 52. Figures are estimates for guidance only.