Painters, Construction and Maintenance
Construction and Extraction Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 47-2141.00
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.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.13
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 17 hidden tasks19 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (5.3%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 2 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders.47-2141.00 | 0.003465.4 | 0.0034100.0 |
Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.47-2141.00 | 0.001834.6 | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders.O*NET Task ID 11515 | 1.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (17)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting. | Core |
| Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives. | Core |
| Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats. | Core |
| Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers. | Core |
| Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders. | Core |
| Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements. | Core |
| Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level. | Core |
| Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting. | Core |
| Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly. | Core |
| Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies. | Core |
| Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting. | Core |
| Select and purchase tools or finishes for surfaces to be covered, considering durability, ease of handling, methods of application, and customers' wishes. | Core |
| Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines. | Core |
| Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing. | Core |
| Waterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking. | Core |
| Polish final coats to specified finishes. | Supplemental |
| Cut stencils and brush or spray lettering or decorations on surfaces. | Supplemental |
0.67/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting. | E0 none |
| Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level. | E0 none |
| Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly. | E0 none |
| Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines. | E0 none |
| Polish final coats to specified finishes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Cut stencils and brush or spray lettering or decorations on surfaces. | E2 structured facilities |
| Waterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Spray or brush hot plastics or pitch onto surfaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Bake finishes on painted or enameled articles, using baking ovens. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 327K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 337K
- Change (2025–35)
- +3%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $49,400
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78361 | 건물 도장공 | Same scope | confirmed |
| 78369 | 그 외 건축 도장공 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7131Painters and Related Workers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Painters and related workers prepare surfaces of buildings and other structures for painting, apply protective and decorative coats of paint or similar materials, or cover interior walls and ceilings of buildings with wallpaper or other finishes.
Tasks
- (a) cleaning and preparing walls and other surfaces of buildings for painting or wallpapering;
- (b) selecting and preparing paints to required colours by mixing pigments and additives;
- (c) applying or spraying paint, varnish, and similar materials to surfaces, fixtures and fittings of buildings;
- (d) measuring and hanging wallpaper or other fabrics on interior walls and ceilings;
- (e) applying paints, varnishes and stains to surfaces using brushes, rollers and sprays.
Example occupations
Building painter · Paperhanger
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- construction painterESCO 7131.1Same scope
Construction painters paint the interior and exterior of buildings and other structures. They may use standard latex based paints or specialised paints for decorative effect or protective properties. Building painters are skilled in using brushes, paint rollers and paint sprayers for different applications.
- transport equipment painterESCO 7132.3Overlapping, not the same
Transport equipment painters use painting machines and hand tools to coat individual parts and to paint the surface of all types of transport equipment such as cars, buses, boats, aircraft, motorcycles and railway cars. They prepare the surface of the pieces for the paint and apply the coaat. Transport equipment painters can perform industrial painting or individual customisation. They may also remove or repair painting errors such as scratches.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1606 | Peintre en bâtiment | Same scopeprovisional |
| F1611 | Façadier / Façadière itéiste | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H3404 | Peintre industriel / Peintre industrielle | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7231 | Pintores y empapeladores | Same scope |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 33212 | Berufe für Maler- und Lackiererarbeiten - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Same scopeprovisional |
| 33213 | Berufe für Maler- und Lackiererarbeiten - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 591 | 生産関連作業従事者 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources