FairangePainting · TN
Painting cost in Chattanooga, TN
Planning ranges for painting work in Chattanooga, TN-GA, built from BLS OEWS May 2025 wages (SOC 47-2141) plus our published hours and materials. Open any job row to run it on your ZIP.
Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09 · estimates only
How this market compares
Chattanooga, TN-GA has its own Painting labor market; here is what the BLS numbers say before you chase bids. Mean hourly pay here sits about 12% below the national OEWS mean.
Among 487 OEWS areas with published Painting wages, Chattanooga ranks #265 nationally on mean hourly pay ($23.50). Inside TN, that is rank 1 of 14 published areas. Percentile spread: $17.34–$30.13. Median sits at $22.82.
OEWS counts about 230 Painters, Construction and Maintenance jobs in this area. Nationwide that occupation is about 225,190. How a few common projects pencil out against the national mid: Interior Room Painting mid estimate $474 here vs $520 U.S. (9% below); Exterior House Painting mid estimate $5,569 here vs $6,220 U.S. (10% below); Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint mid estimate $353 here vs $390 U.S. (9% below).
Same-state comparison: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin ($22.30, 1.20 lower); Memphis ($21.87, 1.63 lower); Jackson ($21.66, 1.84 lower).
Local tip: Local code, permit fees, and how busy crews are this month move numbers as much as wage rates do.
Sample project ranges
| Project | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Room Painting (calc) | $217 | $474 | $1,068 |
| Exterior House Painting (default size) (calc) | $2,597 | $5,569 | $12,625 |
| Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint (calc) | $143 | $353 | $855 |
What usually moves the number
- Scope surprises: duct repairs, panel upgrades, extra roof layers.
- How booked local crews are this season.
- Materials choices — we only nudge materials with a dampened regional factor. See methodology.
Rebates (verify; don’t trust a random Facebook ad)
Check IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE for any incentives that apply to this project. For state/utility directories, start with DSIRE. Fairange does not quote federal tax credits on metro pages.
Getting quotes without the circus
- Screenshot our mid/low/high band.
- Ask three licensed, insured pros for written scopes.
- Compare exclusions — permits, haul-away, thermostats, flashing — before crowning a winner.
Painting cost FAQ — Chattanooga
How much does painting cost in Chattanooga?
We combine OEWS wages for Painters, Construction and Maintenance with published hours and materials assumptions for jobs like interior room painting, exterior house painting, exterior trim caulk & spot paint. Treat the table as a planning band, then collect written bids.
Where do the wages come from?
BLS OEWS May 2025 — mean $23.5, median $22.82, p10–p90 $17.34–$30.13 (SOC 47-2141).
Is this a contractor quote?
No. Fairange publishes educational planning ranges. Markup is 2.0× / 2.25× / 2.5× on labor; materials use cited retail baselines with a dampened regional factor. See methodology.
Job guides: Interior Room Painting · Exterior House Painting · Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint. Reports: repair labor by metro. Open calculator with your ZIP.
Check our math
BLS OEWS May 2025 · local hourly means the calculator uses
| Painter (47-2141) | $23.50/hr mean |
Source: official BLS OEWS data for this area · area index: oessrcma.htm.
Contractor markup (2.0× / 2.25× / 2.5×) and the regional materials factor are ours — see methodology.
Paid listing for Chattanooga, TN-GA Painting. Partner.
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