What Do Transportation Equipment Painters Do

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Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Transportation Equipment Painters

Transportation Equipment Painters operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities.

Salary
$42140
Becoming One
Easy
Education
Post-secondary certificate
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality


What they do

Transportation Equipment Painters operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities.

  • Mix paints to match color specifications or vehicles’ original colors, stirring or thinning paints, using spatulas or power mixing equipment.
  • Select paint according to company requirements and match paint colors, following specified color charts.
  • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
  • Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from vehicle surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Transportation Equipment Painters operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted. They clean equipment and work areas.

A typical day for a Transportation Equipment Painter will also include:

  • Remove accessories, such as chrome or mirrors, from vehicles and mask other surfaces with tape or paper to protect them from paint.
  • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
  • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
  • Sand and apply a sealer to properly dry the vehicle finish.
  • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Transportation Equipment Painters also use a brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun. They may also apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Transportation Equipment Painters layout logos, symbols, or designs on painted surfaces, according to blueprint specifications, using measuring instruments, stencils, or patterns. They might also apply designs, lettering, or other identifying or decorative items to finished products, using paintbrushes or paint sprayers.

In addition, they set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them buff and wax the finished paintwork.

To some Transportation Equipment Painters, it is also their responsibility to verify paint consistency, using a viscosity meter.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.

It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.

Demand for this career is growing fast.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

Salary is below average.

How much do they make

Average salary

$42140 per year

Average hourly wage

$20 per hour

Entry-level Transportation Equipment Painters with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $26,890 to $31,820 per year or $13 to $15 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $62,010 $30
Senior (Top 25%) $49,330 $24
Median $39,060 $19
Junior (Bottom 25%) $31,820 $15
No experience (Bottom 10%) $26,890 $13

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Transportation Equipment Painters based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Scheduled Air Transportation $84140 $40.45
Local Government $63770 $30.66
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing $56360 $27.10
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers $55180 $26.53
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills $54850 $26.37
Facilities Support Services $52290 $25.14
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing $50910 $24.48
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries $50110 $24.09
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services $50010 $24.05
Nonresidential Building Construction $49730 $23.91

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Transportation Equipment Painters work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Transportation Equipment Painters including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Automotive Repair and Maintenance 24280 $49180 $23.64
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities 13460 $35640 $17.14
Machinery Manufacturing 9920 $39590 $19.04
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 9620 $37950 $18.24
Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing 6020 $39450 $18.97
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 5600 $36050 $17.33
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 5070 $56360 $27.10
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 4290 $50910 $24.48
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 3850 $36520 $17.56
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 3800 $45590 $21.92

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
19%

40 hours
52%

More than 40 hours
29%

Working schedule

92%

8%

0%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
0%

Every day
0%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
18%

Every day
19%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
22%

Every day
54%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
95%

Once a year
4%

Once a month
1%

Once a week
0%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
7%

Slightly competitive
13%

Moderately competitive
43%

Highly competitive
23%

Extremely competitive
13%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
57%

Once a year or more
2%

Once a month or more
2%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
37%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
33%

Once a year or more
2%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
63%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
48%

Once a year or more
17%

Once a month or more
3%

Once a week or more
31%

Every day
1%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
69%

Once a year or more
13%

Once a month or more
19%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
11%

High School Diploma or equivalent
40%

Post-Secondary Certificate
49%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
0%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
6%

1 month
0%

1 to 3 months
1%

3 to 6 months
0%

6 months to 1 year
4%

1 to 2 years
25%

2 to 4 years
40%

4 to 6 years
23%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
2%

1 month
7%

1 to 3 months
21%

3 to 6 months
4%

6 months to 1 year
3%

1 to 2 years
34%

2 to 4 years
30%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
48%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
48%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
14%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
19%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
62%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
43%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
52%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
29%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
48%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
71%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
57%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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