FairangePainting · NC
Painting cost in Wilmington, NC
Planning ranges for painting work in Wilmington, NC, 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
Practical cut for Wilmington: published OEWS wages for Painters, Construction and Maintenance, then the same estimating math we use everywhere. Mean hourly pay here sits about 25% below the national OEWS mean.
On the national Painting wage ladder (487 areas), Wilmington, NC sits at #454 with a $19.97 mean. Inside NC, that is rank 14 of 18 published areas. The published p10–p90 band runs $13.43 to $27.07 (a $13.64 spread around the $19.97 mean; median $20.60).
Local employment for this SOC is roughly 220 workers (OEWS May 2025). Nationwide that occupation is about 225,190. How a few common projects pencil out against the national mid: Interior Room Painting mid estimate $424 here vs $520 U.S. (18% below); Exterior House Painting mid estimate $4,838 here vs $6,220 U.S. (22% below); Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint mid estimate $311 here vs $390 U.S. (20% below).
Same-state comparison: Goldsboro (about the same, $19.97); Jacksonville ($20.22, 0.25 higher); Winston-Salem ($19.62, 0.35 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) | $184 | $424 | $985 |
| Exterior House Painting (default size) (calc) | $2,117 | $4,838 | $11,451 |
| Exterior Trim Caulk & Spot Paint (calc) | $119 | $311 | $782 |
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.
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 — Wilmington
How much does painting cost in Wilmington?
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 $19.97, median $20.6, p10–p90 $13.43–$27.07 (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) | $19.97/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 Wilmington, NC Painting. Partner.
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