Painter costs in Illinois

Q: How do Illinois painter rates compare to other states?

Illinois is 38% above the national average of $50/hr for painter services . Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Q: Which Illinois city has the highest painter rates?

Chicago sits at the top of the Illinois index for painter services with rates of $51.51–$85.85/hr.

Q: What drives painter pricing in Illinois?

Illinois's market is shaped by harsh Midwest winters affecting scheduling , Chicago metro premium pricing , and operates under local licensing varies significantly . These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Cities indexed

Hourly range, avg

$52–$86/hr

IL median

$69/hr

vs national

+38%

Painter pricing in Illinois

Illinois features harsh Midwest winters affecting scheduling, which shapes both seasonal demand and the kind of work painters perform locally. The state's market is characterized by Chicago metro premium pricing, and contractors operate under local licensing varies significantly.

Across 1 city indexed in Illinois, painter rates average $69/hr — about 38% above the national average of $50/hr.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, adjusted for Illinois cost of living. Read the methodology.

All Illinois cities

1 city

Chicago IL $51.51–$85.85/hr

Painter in other states

TX Texas 4 CA California 3 FL Florida 2 TN Tennessee 2 GA Georgia 1 MA Massachusetts 1 NC North Carolina 1 OH Ohio 1

Frequently asked

6 answers

What's the average painter rate in Illinois?

Across 1 city indexed in Illinois, the median painter rate is $69/hr. Hourly ranges span $52/hr to $86/hr depending on the metro and contractor.

How do Illinois painter rates compare to other states?

Illinois is 38% above the national average of $50/hr for painter services. Local wage levels and cost of living drive most of this difference.

Which Illinois city has the highest painter rates?

Chicago sits at the top of the Illinois index for painter services with rates of $51.51–$85.85/hr.

What drives painter pricing in Illinois?

Illinois's market is shaped by harsh Midwest winters affecting scheduling, Chicago metro premium pricing, and operates under local licensing varies significantly. These factors flow through to consumer rates non-uniformly across the state — see the geographic precision note for how local data is sourced.

Are these prices what consumers pay, or what workers earn?

Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the wage-to-price methodology.

How is Illinois pricing data updated?

Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026