Painters, Construction and Maintenance Salary in San Diego, CA
Painters, Construction and Maintenance in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $55,970 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $45,017 take-home, or $3,751 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median painters, construction and maintenance salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,536
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,470
- Medicare (1.45%)$812
- California income tax$1,408
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$728
- Take-home pay$45,017
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Painters, Construction and Maintenance pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,370 | $21.33 | $36,490 | $3,041 |
| 25th percentile | $47,240 | $22.71 | $38,639 | $3,220 |
| Median (50th) | $55,970 | $26.91 | $45,017 | $3,751 |
| 75th percentile | $66,480 | $31.96 | $52,626 | $4,386 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,530 | $40.16 | $62,969 | $5,247 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $55,970 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median painters, construction and maintenance's $45,017 take-home pay has the buying power of $40,234 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 1.8× the national concentration of painters, construction and maintenance jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for painters, construction and maintenance, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #13 of 22 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis, MO | $59,810 | $48,364 | $50,862 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,360 | $48,269 | $48,165 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $61,740 | $48,877 | $47,181 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $60,850 | $48,459 | $46,229 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $60,440 | $50,744 | $45,660 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,410 | $46,546 | $45,387 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $61,970 | $49,400 | $44,737 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $59,510 | $47,603 | $44,626 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $55,970 | $45,017 | $40,234 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 22 metros →
About the job: painters, construction and maintenance
Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.0% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Painters, Construction and Maintenance salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $61,970
- Sacramento, CA — $59,510
- San Francisco, CA — $63,600
- Los Angeles, CA — $59,080
- Riverside, CA — $48,910
Frequently asked questions
How much does a painters, construction and maintenance make in San Diego, CA?
The median painters, construction and maintenance salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $55,970 a year, or about $26.91 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,240 and $66,480.
What is a painters, construction and maintenance’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $55,970 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $45,017 a year ($3,751 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,135 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a painters, construction and maintenance?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $49,400. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $40,234 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #13 of 22 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a painters, construction and maintenance afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 66% of a median painters, construction and maintenance’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $95,850
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $83,670
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer — $76,290
- Electrician — $76,160
- Carpenter — $73,200
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $72,510
- Construction Laborer — $57,180