FairangePainting · PA
Painting cost in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Planning ranges for painting work in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, 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
Skip the generic national blog post — this page is the Harrisburg-Carlisle Painting slice of OEWS May 2025. Mean hourly pay here sits about 3% below the national OEWS mean.
Among 487 OEWS areas with published Painting wages, Harrisburg-Carlisle ranks #144 nationally on mean hourly pay ($25.83). Inside PA, that is rank 4 of 19 published areas. The published p10–p90 band runs $18.14 to $32.77 (a $14.63 spread around the $25.83 mean; median $25.87).
OEWS counts about 230 Painters, Construction and Maintenance jobs in this area. Nationwide that occupation is about 225,190. Sample jobs: Interior Room Painting mid estimate $508 here vs $520 U.S. (2% below); Exterior House Painting mid estimate $6,052 here vs $6,220 U.S. (3% below); Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint mid estimate $380 here vs $390 U.S. (2% below).
Same-state comparison: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton ($25.91, 0.08 higher); Pittsburgh ($25.66, 0.17 lower); York-Hanover ($25.09, 0.74 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) | $225 | $508 | $1,138 |
| Exterior House Painting (default size) (calc) | $2,699 | $6,052 | $13,633 |
| Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint (calc) | $149 | $380 | $917 |
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.
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. Start with IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE.
Painting cost FAQ — Harrisburg-Carlisle
How much does painting cost in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
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 $25.83, median $25.87, p10–p90 $18.14–$32.77 (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) | $25.83/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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Painting. Partner.
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