| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Waterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Select and purchase tools or finishes for surfaces to be covered, considering durability, ease of handling, methods of application, and customers' wishes. |
Fine Arts Careers and Jobs
Select, Find and Prepare for Fine Arts Careers and Jobs - all on one page
For people pursuing a studio-art practice who want to understand realistic income paths beyond gallery sales. Use the tools below to see which fine arts roles fit your background and goals.
Fine arts careers rarely follow a single job-title path; many artists combine gallery/studio work with teaching, freelance, or commercial art income. Use the tools below to explore Fine Arts-related job titles sorted by growth rate, salary, or required education. You can start with entry points like Studio Assistant, or look ahead to advanced roles such as Exhibiting Artist or Arts Educator. Along the way, you will see specific certifications, such as None formally required; portfolio and exhibition history matter most, that can help you move up the career ladder.
Here is a short Helper Video 
This page will take you through 4 steps to (1) Select from Fine Arts careers/jobs, (2) Find Fine Arts job listings, (3) Prepare for Fine Arts careers, and (4) Provide Fine Arts career-specific resources.
Step 1: Select a Career/Job: This page starts with 4 ways for you to identify and select from listings of Fine Arts careers/jobs:
A) Fastest Growing Fine Arts Careers - 2023 to 2033 (est.)
These listings are based on job growth estimates and helps you to identify the fastest growing and evolving Fine Arts careers. Some careers may not initially seem related to Fine Arts, so relevant Fine Arts jobs are listed alongside each listing. This can also help us to identify which careers (bottom of the listing) may have negative growth - perhaps due to automation or planned obsolescence.
B) Median Annual Salary U.S. Fine Arts Careers
These listings are sorted (descending) by median annual salary in the U.S. This may help us to identify our ideal career. We may not qualify at this time for the desired career, but this listing and the results provided can help us to explore job details, as well as learn how to appropriately prepare for the career.
C) Fine Arts Career Ladders (Educational Requirements)
These listings will help us to identify Fine Arts careers sorted by educational requirements (with the most difficult to obtain listed first). This may help us to identify career ladders (as we scroll down the list), and help us to get jobs that we qualify for now.
D) Select From a Listing of 253 Fine Arts Jobs.
The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
Once you have identified a job title of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the chosen career. Information may include (not every career choice includes all of the elements below - updates occur quarterly):
Core Duties: Lists the primary worker-related tasks performed in this occupation
Supplemental Duties: Lists additional tasks that are performed but are secondary to the core duties
Work Activities: Summarizes the broad types of behaviors and actions related to this career
Specific Work Activities: Provides more granular day-to-day activities tied to the work performed
Essential Skills: Provides foundational skills that are core to performing this specific occupation
Transferable Skills: Provides career-portable skills that can be applied across multiple occupations and industries
Day-in-the-Life Summaries: Provides a snapshot of the key activities performed on a typical workday in this career
Knowledge Required: Provides the requirements regarding the acquisition of facts and principles
Software Skills: Lists software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized by category and priority
Preparation Required: Provides a summary of the required experience and education
Education Required: Detailed breakdown of the education required
Training and Experience Required: Detailed breakdown of the training and Training and Experience Required
Local Salary Information: Provides national and local salary ranges
Certifications: Provides appropriate government and private-sector certifications and/or credentials that may be required
Professional Associations: Provides professional associations that are related to the career selected
Job Listings: Provides links to active current job listings for the selected career, along with multiple similar job titles to explore. All information appears on this page without navigating away.
Related Careers to Consider: Lists up to 20 careers that might be of interest to you (related to your initial choice - what they do, what they know, and what they're called), ranked by best fit.
** If you clicked on a link from section D (as described in Step 1 above), you will see one or more links to an occupation that is usually a bit more general than your initial job selection - the link(s) is directly related to the specific job you identified through your prior selections.
*NOTE: It is possible that there may not be a career path identified for the specific job you selected in Step 1. If this is the case, scroll up the page and click on a different career/job.
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that provide detailed (updated) links specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview. Can also assist with coffee chats.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career/Job
41 Fine Arts careers are listed below (sorted by Percentage Change in Total Job Openings - 2023 to 2033 est.). Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each career are also provided. This shows which careers are emerging and growing the fastest. Please Scroll and Select below:
| Occupations | U.S. Job Openings 2023-2033 (% change) | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
45 Fine Arts careers are listed below (sorted by U.S. National Median Salary). Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each occupation are also provided. Please Scroll and Select below::
| Occupations | National Median Salary | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
46 Fine Arts careers are listed (sorted by Education/Preparation Requirements - descending) to provide career ladders. Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each career are also provided.
|
Education/Preparation Categories: 5 = Usually requires graduate school (e.g., Master's degree, Ph.D., M.D., or J.D.) 4 = Usually requires a four-year Bachelor's degree 3 = Usually requires vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or Associate's degree 2 = Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, but not always Please Scroll and Select below: |
||
| Occupations | Education/Preparation | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
Scroll through the picklist (below). There are 253 specific Fine Arts job titles listed. Select those that may be of interest - you will get active job listing links, along with detailed resources to help you prepare for a career related to that job.
You can use this form two ways:
Filter - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles below
Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title (Scroll and Select) :
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Find Job Listings:
Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Description: 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.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Painters, Construction and Maintenance":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
350,800U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
369,100
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
18,300 (5.2%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
32,700
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Polish final coats to specified finishes. |
| Importance: 50 (%) | Description: Cut stencils and brush or spray lettering or decorations on surfaces. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Performing General Physical Activities: Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Apply decorative or textured finishes or coverings. | |
| Apply material to fill gaps in surfaces. | |
| Apply paint to surfaces. | |
| Apply sealants or other protective coatings. | |
| Assemble temporary equipment or structures. | |
| Clean surfaces in preparation for work activities. | |
| Cut carpet, vinyl or other flexible materials. | |
| Estimate construction project costs. | |
| Estimate materials requirements for projects. | |
| Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities. | |
| Order construction or extraction materials or equipment. | |
| Prepare surfaces for finishing. | |
| Protect structures or surfaces near work areas to avoid damage. | |
| Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements. | |
| Select construction equipment. | |
| Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Apply decorative finishes. |
| Activity: Apply materials to fill gaps or imperfections. |
| Activity: Apply protective solutions or coatings. |
| Activity: Build structures. |
| Activity: Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas. |
| Activity: Cut materials. |
| Activity: Determine resource needs of projects or operations. |
| Activity: Estimate project development or operational costs. |
| Activity: Perform general construction or extraction activities. |
| Activity: Prepare mixtures or solutions. |
| Activity: Purchase goods or services. |
| Activity: Read documents or materials to inform work processes. |
| Activity: Select materials or equipment for operations or projects. |
| Activity: Set up protective structures or coverings near work areas. |
| Activity: Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
| Emerging Tech Skills |
| Office suite software: |
| Microsoft Office software |
| Operating system software: |
| Microsoft Windows |
| Spreadsheet software: |
| Microsoft Excel |
| Word processing software: |
| Microsoft Word |
| General Software Tools |
| Analytical or scientific software: |
| Evergreen Technology Total Faux |
| Customer relationship management CRM software: |
| Act! |
| Data base user interface and query software: |
| Insight Direct ServiceCEO |
| Graphics or photo imaging software: |
| Corel Paint Shop Pro Corel Painter |
| Project management software: |
| Evergreen Technology Eagle Bid Estimating On Center Quick Bid Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed |
| Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. |
| Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. |
| These occupations involve following instructions and often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include dishwashers, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, counter and rental clerks, dental laboratory technicians, and security guards. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 48.7 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 33.1 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 16.3 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.9 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Doctoral Training |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 46.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 32.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 15.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 2.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 0.9 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Up to and including 1 month |
| Frequency of Attainment: 0.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 0.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician
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Lead Abatement Worker
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Painting
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Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
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Job Listings
| Job Listings and Similar Occupational Titles - scroll and click to identify common requirements, keywords, and skills in current job listings |
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources
This section contains detailed external resources appropriate to "Painters, Construction and Maintenance". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Painters, Construction and Maintenance
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
Developed by Dr. Ralph Jagodka, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College and author of the Harvard Business Impact article "What to Do When Students Ask You for Career Advice." - Full bio. © 2026 About This Page
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