Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$54,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$5,000
8.9% of base
Total target cash
$59,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$3,00050th$5,00075th$8,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
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.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlMonitoringRepairingEquipment Maintenance
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay by experience level
Entry level$37,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$42,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$50,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$62,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$77,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+0.7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
15,800
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by industry
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
34,450 workers
$47,500
Repair and Maintenance
29,280 workers
$63,000
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
27,920 workers
$60,500
Automotive Repair and Maintenance
27,290 workers
$64,000
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities
16,500 workers
$46,000
Machinery Manufacturing
12,900 workers
$51,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)
11,470 workers
$49,000
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
11,340 workers
$51,000
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
6,680 workers
$73,000
Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing
6,010 workers
$49,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pays 3% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
The average base salary for a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the United States is $54,500 per year, or about $26.20 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,000 and $62,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
