PAINTING

About Painting


Painting careers play an essential role in construction, renovation, and property maintenance across residential, commercial, and industrial environments. Professional painters prepare and finish surfaces to protect structures, enhance appearance, and extend the life of buildings. From interior finishes to exterior coatings, painting professionals contribute to projects that improve safety, durability, and visual appeal in homes, workplaces, and public spaces.


Painting is a hands-on career well suited for individuals who enjoy practical work, attention to detail, and visible results. Painters often work as part of a team, following project plans and safety standards while interacting professionally with supervisors, property managers, or clients. With opportunities across construction, remodeling, facilities maintenance, and specialty finishing, painting offers a reliable career path with variety, skill development, and steady demand throughout the skilled trades industry.


Examples of

Painting Skills 


Students develop practical painting and finishing skills commonly used in residential, commercial, and facilities environments, including:


  • Safe and proper use of common tools and job site safety practices
  • Preparing and finishing wood, drywall, and other surfaces
  • Working with different types of paints, stains, and coatings
  • Applying finishes such as texturing and wall coverings
  • Maintaining clean and organized work areas
  • Collaborating effectively with team members
  • Communicating with supervisors or property managers about color and finish options
  • Understanding basic project timelines and material considerations


What Painting

Work Involves:


Painting professionals work in both indoor and outdoor environments, depending on the project and setting. Because painters often work in occupied spaces—such as homes, apartments, or active commercial buildings—professionalism, respect, and efficiency are essential. Painters must be comfortable working around clients while maintaining clean, safe, and organized job sites.


The work is physically active and may involve working from ladders, scaffolding, or lifts while following proper safety procedures. Painters frequently lift and carry materials such as paint cans and equipment and may spend extended periods standing, kneeling, bending, or reaching. Attention to safety and proper technique is critical in all work environments.


Strong communication, teamwork, and attention to detail are key to success in this trade. Because painting projects often require close collaboration, painters must work well with others and take pride in delivering quality results.


Opportunities in a Painting Career


Painting remains in steady demand due to the ongoing need to maintain, renovate, and refresh residential and commercial buildings. Painters support projects across both public and private sectors, working with general contractors, remodeling companies, facility management firms, and property owners.



Potential Careers


With training, experience, and continued skill development, individuals with painting skills may pursue roles such as:


  • Painter or Painting Technician
  • Painter’s Assistant
  • Painting Supervisor or Crew Lead
  • Subcontractor
  • Facilities or Property Maintenance Technician


Earning Potential for Painting Careers


Earnings in the painting trade vary based on experience, job responsibilities, employer, and geographic location. Nationally, individuals entering painting and finishing roles typically begin at entry-level hourly wages, with opportunities for steady increases as skills, reliability, and responsibility grow. In South Carolina, starting wages may fall slightly below the national average, with growth as painters gain experience across residential, commercial, and facilities-related projects.


More experienced painting professionals may earn annual salaries ranging from approximately $40,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on specialization, project scope, and location. Painting offers a skilled trade career path where attention to detail, professionalism, and consistent performance can lead to long-term employment opportunities and steady wage growth.