Running a painting business in Providence, RI
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area has about 1,370 painters. The median wage is $21.31 an hour, so half earn more and half earn less. That's 7% above the Rhode Island median of $20.00. Nationally, the median is $23.75, so Providence pays 10% less.
Market snapshot
- Painters employed in the metro area
- 1,370
- Median hourly wage
- $21.31
- Middle 50% earn
- $18.31 to $27.20 an hour
- Median annual wage
- $44,320
- Rhode Island median hourly wage
- $20.00
- U.S. median hourly wage
- $23.75
- Job concentration
- 1.32× the national share
- Painting contractors in the metro area
- 263
- Providence population
- 191,767
- Median year homes were built in Providence
- 1938
Job concentration compares the share of local jobs held by painters with the share nationwide. Above 1 means the trade is more concentrated here than average.
Painting in nearby cities
| City | Workers in the metro | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 300 | $26.08 |
| Norwich, CT | 420 | $28.24 |
| Boston, MA | 3,220 | $27.80 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 250 | $24.36 |
| Springfield, MA | 180 | $23.86 |
| Hartford, CT | 630 | $28.14 |
How Tradesman helps painting businesses in Providence
Options for every finish
Offer walls only, walls plus trim, or the full room as options on one estimate. Customers choose before they approve.
Know when the crew is on site
Crew members get a reminder to clock in when they arrive at the job and to clock out when they leave.
Margins by job
Paint, supplies and labor hours log against each job, so you can see which kinds of jobs actually pay best.
Questions about painting in Providence
How much do painters make in Providence?
In May 2025, the median wage for painters in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area was $21.31 an hour. The middle half earned between $18.31 and $27.20 an hour.
How many painters work in Providence?
About 1,370 painters worked in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How many painting contractors are in Providence?
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area had 263 establishments classified as painting contractors in 2023, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.
Sources
Figures cover the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area unless they name Providence. Wages are for employees, not business owners.
Run your painting business in Providence from one place.
Estimates, scheduling, dispatch and payments in one app. Setup takes about five minutes.