by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Painting/Painter & Wall Coverer covers Painting/painter And Wall Coverer. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Finish Exterior And Interior Structural Surfaces By Applying Protective Or Decorative Coating Materials, Such As Paint, Lacquer, And Wallpaper. Includes Instruction In Surface Preparation; Selecting, Preparing, And Applying Paints And Other Coatings; Hanging Wallpaper; Equipment Operation And Maintenance; Finish Selection; Safety And Clean-Up; Environmental Effects On Finishes; Adhesion Properties; And Applicable Codes And Standards.. Examples: [Painting (Commercial)], [Painter And Decorator], [Painter And Decorator - Commercial And Residential]. Continue reading for the key facts every painting/painter & wall coverer major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering painting/painter & wall coverer programs.
In the U.S., painting/painter & wall coverer draws strong interest, with 28 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Painting/Painter & Wall Coverer Schools ranking analyzes these 5 schools to determine the best overall colleges for painting/painter & wall coverer students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of painting/painter & wall coverer programs later in this article.
Studies in Painting/Painter & Wall Coverer emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations painting/painter & wall coverer graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a painting/painter & wall coverer program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a painting/painter & wall coverer major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several painting/painter & wall coverer degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 12 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 11 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5 |
People currently working in careers related to painting/painter & wall coverer tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 43.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 20.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 18.1% |
| Some college courses | 8.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 4.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.5% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in painting/painter & wall coverer careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in painting/painter & wall coverer opens doors to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to painting/painter & wall coverer.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to painting/painter & wall coverer.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | 711,576 | 4.9% |
| Paperhangers | 673,438 | 10.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 646,091 | 3.6% |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | 484,877 | 9.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of painting/painter & wall coverer graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,822 |
| 4 years | $32,489 |
| 5 years | $37,102 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for painting/painter & wall coverer graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers painting/painter & wall coverer grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,555 |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | $77,350 |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | $57,985 |
| Paperhangers | $35,095 |
With 5 different painting/painter & wall coverer programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased painting/painter & wall coverer school rankings to help you.
Students interested in painting/painter & wall coverer, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
