The Salary Index
Salary data is based on the Lafayette, LA metropolitan area and applied to Lafayette using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Painters Salaries in Lafayette, LA

Average Base Pay

$44,203/yr

12% below national average

Monthly

$3,684

Hourly

$21

Cost Index

75

Painters in Lafayette, LA earn an average of $44,203 per year, with most salaries falling between $35,362 and $53,044 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 12% below the national average, Lafayette offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 75. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Lafayette.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$33K
Low
$44K
Median
$55K
High
25th percentile: $38K75th percentile: $51K

About Painters

Construction Managers plan, coordinate, and oversee construction projects from groundbreaking through completion, ensuring that work is delivered on schedule, within budget, and to the required quality standards. They manage subcontractors, suppliers, inspectors, and design professionals simultaneously, coordinating the sequencing of work across multiple trades. The role begins in preconstruction—reviewing plans and specifications, preparing cost estimates, bidding and awarding subcontracts, and developing project schedules using tools like Primavera or Microsoft Project. During construction, they hold weekly job site meetings, track schedule progress, manage submittals and requests for information, process pay applications, and maintain project documentation. Identifying and mitigating risk is central: construction managers anticipate schedule conflicts, monitor weather impacts, manage material procurement lead times, and resolve field conditions that differ from design assumptions. Safety management is a primary legal and ethical responsibility. Most construction managers hold a degree in construction management or civil engineering, and many hold the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) or PMP credential.

What Painters Do

  • Develop and manage project schedules and construction budgets
  • Bid, award, and manage subcontracts and supplier agreements
  • Coordinate and sequence work among trades to minimize conflicts
  • Conduct job site meetings and maintain project documentation
  • Review and process submittals, RFIs, change orders, and pay applications
  • Enforce safety regulations and maintain a safe job site
  • Monitor work quality and ensure conformance with contract documents
  • Communicate project status to owners and stakeholders

Key Skills & Qualifications

  • Construction scheduling with Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project
  • Cost estimating and budget control
  • Subcontract management and procurement
  • Blueprint and specification reading and interpretation
  • OSHA safety regulations and job site safety management
  • Construction project management software such as Procore
  • Change order management and dispute resolution
  • CCM or PMP certification

Career Path

  1. Field Engineer / Project Engineer
  2. Assistant Project Manager
  3. Project Manager
  4. Senior Project Manager
  5. Senior PM / VP of Construction

Painters Market in Lafayette, LA

Salary Competitiveness

Lafayette currently pays 12% below the national median for Painters. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Lafayette's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 72% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.

Effective Purchasing Power

Despite a competitive gross salary, a Painters earning $44,203 in Lafayette operates in a tight purchasing-power band once taxes and local cost of living are applied. Careful planning around housing, transportation, and discretionary spending is essential to avoid running negative disposable income month to month.

vs. National Avg

-12%

Cost Pressure

72%

Purchasing Power

Tight

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

$
Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$32,268

Monthly

$2,689

Weekly

$621

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $44,203 for a Painters in Lafayette translates to roughly $2,689 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $1,945—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $744 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Lafayette's current market.

How far does this salary go in Lafayette?

Cost of Living in Lafayette

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Lafayette, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

75

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,118/mo
🍔Food & Groceries$373/mo
🚗Transportation$101/mo
💡Utilities$131/mo
🏥Healthcare$222/mo
Monthly$1,945
Annual$23,340
Disposable Income$744

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Lafayette to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$2,689

Living Costs

$1,945

Disposable

$744

Cost Index

75

Lifestyle

Tight

With a monthly take-home of $2,689, your estimated living costs in Lafayette are $1,945 ($23,340/yr). This leaves $744 per month in disposable income, indicating a tight standard of living. Lafayette's cost of living is 25% below the national average.

Overall, a Painters earning $44,203 in Lafayette falls into a tight lifestyle tier and will need to budget carefully—essential costs consume a significant share of take-home pay, leaving limited room for savings or emergencies. With a cost index of 75, Lafayette is 25% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Lafayette continue to evolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Painters · Lafayette, LA12% below avg

Gross Salary

$44,203/yr

Take-home

$2,689/mo

Disposable

$744/mo

Lifestyle

Tight

Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data

Lafayette City Overview

COL index, rent benchmarks, top jobs, and affordability score.

Explore Lafayette

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Salary estimates are based on BLS metro data and adjusted using cost-of-living indices.