Construction Painter Apprenticeship in Illinois

Wages, programs & career outlook

Construction painters prep and coat surfaces on new builds and remodels — drywall, trim, siding, steel, and everything in between. The job combines surface prep, color mixing, and application technique (brush, roller, sprayer) for a durable, uniform finish.

IL Median Salary
$62,390/yr
+28% vs. national
National Median
$48,660/yr
IL Employment
6,700
Construction Painters employed
IL Sponsors
6
Registered programs
Training Term
3.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
3.8%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
28,100
Nationally, per yr

Construction Painter Apprenticeship in Illinois: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered construction painter apprenticeship in Illinois combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 3.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Illinois pay vs. national

Median construction painter wages in Illinois are $62,390/year, +28% above the national median of $48,660. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Illinois has 6 registered apprenticeship sponsors for construction painter listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.8% job growth for construction painters nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 28,100 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Illinois-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Illinois Wage Spread

Annual wages for Construction Painters in Illinois across all experience levels.

10th pct
$37,540
Median
$62,390
90th pct
$109,220
Middle 50% of workers earn $46,720$94,970

Current Construction Painter Apprenticeship Openings in Illinois

No construction painter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Illinois. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Construction Painter Apprenticeship Sponsors in Illinois

6 construction painter-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Illinois. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current construction painter apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Painters Dist. Council 30 N. Central Illinois Finishing Trades Institute Aurora Kane County
Finishing Trades Institute of DC 14 Chicago Berkeley Cook County
Finishing Trades Institute of DC 14 Chicago DW Berkeley Cook County
M & S FINISHERS DECORATING, LLC Berwyn
Painters District Council 58 Collinsville Madison County
QUAD CITY PAINTERS JATC LU 502 & 676 Rock Island Rock Island County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Construction Painter openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2141 and state IL for the most relevant results.

Construction Painter Apprenticeship in Illinois

With 6 trade-specific sponsors in our directory, Illinois's Construction Painter apprenticeship landscape is limited. Candidates should also consider nearby states or contact national union offices for referrals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Construction Painters earn in Illinois?
The BLS reports a median wage of $62,390/yr for Construction Painters in Illinois (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
What is the length of a Construction Painter apprenticeship program?
Most Construction Painter apprenticeships run 3 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
What's the difference between a Construction Painter apprenticeship and trade school?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Construction Painters, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Construction Painter apprenticeship in Illinois?
Our directory surfaces 6 Construction Painter-related registered sponsors in Illinois. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
Do Construction Painter apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Illinois, a first-year Construction Painter apprentice might earn around $31,195/yr (roughly half the $62,390 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 3-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Construction Painters also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 43 Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection programs nationwide →
Too few Illinois-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Construction Painter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Illinois

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.