Life As a Transportation Equipment Painter
Job Description: Operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities.
A Day in the Life of a Transportation Equipment Painter
- Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from vehicle surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Select paint according to company requirements and match paint colors, following specified color charts.
- Allow the sprayed product to dry and touch up any missed spots.
- Sand and apply sealer to properly dried vehicle finish.
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Transportation Equipment Painter Skills
Transportation Equipment Painters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Finish Painter
- Colorman
- Black Off Worker
- Body Technician/Painter
- Bronzer
Job Outlook for Transportation Equipment Painters
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 58,100 jobs in the United States for Transportation Equipment Painter. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,800 new jobs for Transportation Equipment Painter by 2026. There will be an estimated 6,600 positions for Transportation Equipment Painter per year.

The states with the most job growth for Transportation Equipment Painter are Utah, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, West Virginia, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Transportation Equipment Painter
The typical yearly salary for Transportation Equipment Painters is somewhere between $27,320 and $70,840.

Transportation Equipment Painters who work in Alaska, Connecticut, or Mississippi, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Transportation Equipment Painters in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $42,240 |
Alaska | $55,280 |
Arizona | $39,240 |
Arkansas | $38,720 |
California | $44,780 |
Colorado | $54,740 |
Connecticut | $57,330 |
Delaware | $39,960 |
Florida | $42,990 |
Georgia | $51,040 |
Hawaii | $53,690 |
Idaho | $40,700 |
Illinois | $47,830 |
Indiana | $38,950 |
Iowa | $41,520 |
Kansas | $45,670 |
Kentucky | $46,470 |
Louisiana | $47,500 |
Maine | $41,080 |
Maryland | $52,110 |
Massachusetts | $50,800 |
Michigan | $50,090 |
Minnesota | $46,300 |
Mississippi | $52,330 |
Missouri | $47,500 |
Montana | $46,630 |
Nebraska | $44,190 |
Nevada | $41,680 |
New Hampshire | $58,290 |
New Jersey | $48,570 |
New Mexico | $49,110 |
New York | $49,550 |
North Carolina | $43,750 |
North Dakota | $48,200 |
Ohio | $43,150 |
Oklahoma | $51,410 |
Oregon | $48,160 |
Pennsylvania | $46,830 |
Rhode Island | $48,490 |
South Carolina | $44,680 |
South Dakota | $40,250 |
Tennessee | $45,510 |
Texas | $44,490 |
Utah | $44,270 |
Vermont | $44,390 |
Virginia | $55,290 |
Washington | $58,600 |
West Virginia | $48,200 |
Wisconsin | $42,010 |
Wyoming | $53,650 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Transportation Equipment Painters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Transportation Equipment Painters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Data entry software
- Scheduling software
- Inventory control software
- Maintenance management software
How to Become a Transportation Equipment Painter
What education or degrees do I need to become a Transportation Equipment Painter?

What work experience do I need to become a Transportation Equipment Painter?

Who Employs Transportation Equipment Painters?

The table below shows the approximate number of Transportation Equipment Painters employed by various industries.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Transportation Equipment Painter might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Transportation Equipment Painter sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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