Salary of Auto Body Painters
Auto body and repair encompasses the aspects of auto body painting. In certain paint and body shops, auto body painters specialize in painting. This career choice is made after a certain amount of time in the shop and in auto body repair. Salaries for skilled auto body painters are competitive across the country.
Auto body painters handle paint jobs for all types of vehicles, including large transportation equipment, buses and even aircraft. The job requires equipment training on spraying tools, sanders and power tools. Techniques for auto body painting must also be learned, in order to gain the skills necessary to land a higher paying painters job.
Starting Out and Training
Painters not only prepare the vehicle for the upcoming paint job, but they also create designs, symbols and logos for company marketing and advertising campaigns. As an auto body painter’s skill set increases, so does the salary for those skills. A beginner or apprentice auto body painter can expect to make $25,000 to $35,000 a year, while working at an average auto body and repair shop. Training is usually offered on the job and under the watchful eye of a head painter. Beginners will learn to use the tools that are vital to preparing the car for a paint job, as well as basic techniques for standard paint job requests.
Skilled Painters and Auto Graphic Designers
Auto body painters that are skilled with graphic design such as logos, symbols and specialty design work will find that specialty work has a higher salary. Many auto body and repair shops find a need for an auto body painter that has a wide-ranging skill set. As specialty jobs arrive, the skilled painter can expect to make $45,000 per year or more. Graphic design and artistic aspects to being an auto body painter may appeal to art students and graphic design students in need of work. A car can showcase artistic qualities, skill sets and design experience as well as advertise that artist to others.
Senior Auto Painters
Training, experience and talent can lead an auto body painter to the top job as senior or head auto painter at a body and repair shop. This job usually arrives after several years with the same auto body company and after proving the talent and drive to stay focused on the job. A senior or head auto body painter can expect to make upwards of $65,000 yearly.