Careers / Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$48,250
United States, 2025
Employment
158,740
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.
- O*NET code
- 51-9124.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Apply primer over any repairs made to surfaces.
- Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
- Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
- Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
- Clean equipment and work areas.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$36,260
25th percentile
$40,590
75th percentile
$59,680
90th percentile
$74,730
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Monitoring3.1
- Operation and Control3.1
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.0
- Repairing3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Troubleshooting2.9
- Equipment Selection2.9
- Critical Thinking2.8
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 6 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
6
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK | $69,910 | 140 | 2025 |
| Norwich, CT | $69,600 | 70 | 2025 |
| Ames, IA | $69,090 | 60 | 2025 |
| Springfield, OH | $67,070 | 110 | 2025 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $66,570 | 40 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $63,360 | 270 | 2025 |
| Gulfport, MS | $63,180 | 700 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $63,030 | 2,640 | 2025 |
| Charleston, SC | $62,280 | 600 | 2025 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $62,120 | 50 | 2025 |
| Sebastian, FL | $61,730 | 70 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $61,260 | 50 | 2025 |
| Grand Forks, ND | $61,220 | 60 | 2025 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $61,130 | 100 | 2025 |
| Grand Island, NE | $61,110 | 70 | 2025 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $60,820 | 100 | 2025 |
| WA | $59,980 | 3,980 | 2025 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $59,970 | 1,780 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,930 | 110 | 2025 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $59,800 | 90 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.