BROKLY

Workers’ comp rates for painters, state by state

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Required in nearly all states

Direct answer: workers’ comp is required in nearly every state once painting contractors have employees — each state sets its own threshold and files its own rates. For NCCI class 5474 they span $2.35 to $13.84 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed) — New York is the most expensive, West Virginia the cheapest, and the median state pays $5.08. Pick your state below for its mandate and modeled dollar costs by business size.

Requirement: NAIC — Small Business Insurance. Thresholds vary by state — your state’s guide below has the statute.

Highest state
$13.84 New York
as of 2024
Median state
$5.08 / $100 payroll
as of 2024
Lowest state
$2.35 West Virginia
as of 2024
Painting and wall covering contractors (NAICS 238320) covered
30,927 establishments in 26 states
as of CBP 2023
Workers’ compCommercial auto · benchmark comingContractor license bond · benchmark comingGeneral liability · benchmark comingTools & equipment · benchmark coming

How much is workers’ comp for painters in each state?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5474 (Painting NOC), 2024. The study notes rates “may include loss cost multipliers and assessments.” Alphabetical; rank 1 = most expensive of 51. Linked state names open the state’s coverage guide; linked rates open the cost breakdown.

StateRate / $100 payrollTypical painting business, modeled $/yrRank
Alabama$4.60—33
Alaska$4.72—31
Arizona$3.67≈$2.8k42
Arkansas$3.67—41
California$7.41≈$5.9k7
Colorado$4.85≈$3.5k29
Connecticut$7.34≈$5.8k8
Delaware$4.19—37
District of Columbia$4.56—34
Florida$6.68≈$3.3k12
Georgia$11.37≈$7.3k3
Hawaii$7.94—4
Idaho$5.99≈$4k18
Illinois$5.50≈$3.6k22
Indiana$4.96≈$3.3k27
Iowa$5.34≈$3.4k25
Kansas$3.30—46
Kentucky$3.37—44
Louisiana$6.10—16
Maine$7.83—6
Maryland$3.74≈$2.7k40
Massachusetts$4.03≈$3.1k38
Michigan$4.60≈$3.5k32
Minnesota$6.86≈$5.1k10
Mississippi$3.85—39
Missouri$5.73≈$4.2k20
Montana$6.76—11
Nebraska$4.92—28
Nevada$3.11≈$2.7k50
New Hampshire$6.65—13
New Jersey$13.83≈$9.6k2
New Mexico$4.49—35
New York$13.84≈$9.2k1
North Carolina$5.44≈$3.5k24
North Dakota †$3.43—43
Ohio †$7.83—5
Oklahoma$5.63—21
Oregon$4.82≈$3.4k30
Pennsylvania$5.08≈$4k26
Rhode Island$6.47—14
South Carolina$7.06—9
South Dakota$4.29—36
Tennessee$3.28≈$2.8k47
Texas$5.80≈$5.1k19
Utah$3.20≈$2.1k48
Vermont$6.23—15
Virginia$3.18≈$2.1k49
Washington †$5.50—23
West Virginia$2.35—51
Wisconsin$6.03≈$4.6k17
Wyoming †$3.32—45

† state-fund jurisdiction — workers’ comp is purchased through the state, not a private market. Unlinked states lack a published rate or a defensible business-size cohort. Modeled — not quotes: each figure prices that state’s most common painting business size band from the state’s own observed payroll (CBP 2023), so dollar order can differ from rate rank.

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Painting and wall covering contractors (NAICS 238320)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

Frequently asked questions

Why do rates for the same trade differ several-fold between states?

Each state approves its own rates from its own claims experience — benefit levels, medical costs, and litigation environments differ. The rate is per $100 of payroll, so state wage levels move the dollar premium too.

Is the rate what I’ll actually pay?

No — it’s the filed starting point. Your payroll sets the base, your claims history (experience mod) scales it, and insurer schedule credits move it further. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

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