Jobs Similar to Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to painting, coating, and decorating workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Furniture Finishers, Painters (Construction and Maintenance) and Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers.
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers: $41,600 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Furniture Finishers | 75% | $44,540+7% | High school |
| 2 | Painters, Construction and Maintenance | 74% | $49,400+19% | High school |
| 3 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | 74% | $37,800−9% | High school |
| 4 | Carpet Installers | 73% | $50,340+21% | High school |
| 5 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 73% | $34,890−16% | High school |
| 6 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal WorkersSame group | 72% | $52,540+26% | Training or associate |
| 7 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 72% | $35,510−15% | High school |
| 8 | Bakers | 72% | $37,160−11% | High school |
| 9 | Cutters and Trimmers, HandSame group | 72% | $38,020−9% | High school |
| 10 | Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles | 71% | $56,460+36% | High school |
| 11 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | 71% | $46,880+13% | High school |
| 12 | Tapers | 71% | $68,270+64% | High school |
| 13 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 71% | $36,280−13% | High school |
| 14 | Stone Cutters and Carvers, ManufacturingSame group | 70% | $46,170Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 15 | Sewers, Hand | 70% | $36,480−12% | High school |
| 16 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | 70% | $41,6400% | High school |
| 17 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 70% | $35,730−14% | High school |
| 18 | Sewing Machine Operators | 70% | $36,670−12% | High school |
| 19 | Upholsterers | 70% | $46,340+11% | High school |
| 20 | Paperhangers | 69% | $52,140+25% | High school |
- 1Furniture Finishers
75% similar · $44,540 (+7%) · High school
- 2Painters, Construction and Maintenance
74% similar · $49,400 (+19%) · High school
- 3Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
74% similar · $37,800 (−9%) · High school
- 4Carpet Installers
73% similar · $50,340 (+21%) · High school
- 5Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
73% similar · $34,890 (−16%) · High school
- 6Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
72% similar · $52,540 (+26%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 7Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
72% similar · $35,510 (−15%) · High school
- 8Bakers
72% similar · $37,160 (−11%) · High school
- 9Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
72% similar · $38,020 (−9%) · High school · Same group
- 10Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
71% similar · $56,460 (+36%) · High school
- 11Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
71% similar · $46,880 (+13%) · High school
- 12Tapers
71% similar · $68,270 (+64%) · High school
- 13Packers and Packagers, Hand
71% similar · $36,280 (−13%) · High school
- 14Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
70% similar · $46,170 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 15Sewers, Hand
70% similar · $36,480 (−12%) · High school
- 16Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
70% similar · $41,640 (0%) · High school
- 17Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
70% similar · $35,730 (−14%) · High school
- 18Sewing Machine Operators
70% similar · $36,670 (−12%) · High school
- 19Upholsterers
70% similar · $46,340 (+11%) · High school
- 20Paperhangers
69% similar · $52,140 (+25%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than painting, coating, and decorating workers.
- Tapers71% similar · $68,270 (+64%)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles71% similar · $56,460 (+36%)
- Paperhangers69% similar · $52,140 (+25%)
- Carpet Installers73% similar · $50,340 (+21%)
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance74% similar · $49,400 (+19%)
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators71% similar · $46,880 (+13%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for painting, coating, and decorating workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where painting, coating, and decorating workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Furniture Finishers (85)
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (83)
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance (81)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (79)
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers (78)
- Upholsterers (76)
- Manicurists and Pedicurists (75)
- Floral Designers (74)
- Sewers, Hand (74)
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers (74)
Questions about jobs like painting, coating, and decorating workers
What jobs are most similar to painting, coating, and decorating workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Furniture Finishers (75% similar), Painters (Construction and Maintenance) (74% similar), Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers (74% similar), Carpet Installers (73% similar) and Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (73% similar).
Which jobs like painting, coating, and decorating workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Tapers ($68,270, +64%; usually a high school diploma), Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles ($56,460, +36%; usually a high school diploma) and Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers ($52,540, +26%; usually training or an associate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with painting, coating, and decorating workers ($41,600). Without more preparation than painting, coating, and decorating workers usually need: Tapers, Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles and Paperhangers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.