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Knox County, ME · Painter
Painter prevailing wage in Knox County, Maine
$32.48an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Construction and Maintenance Painters
$29.16 base wage + $3.32 fringe benefits · Building 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) · Midcoast region
Knox County uses the same painter rates as 1 other county. See all of them on one page.
On Maine public works in Knox County, a painter working as construction and maintenance painters must be paid at least $32.48 an hour: a $29.16 base wage plus $3.32 in benefits.
MDOL 2026 rates, effective January 10, 2026; this rate, effective January 10, 2026. A rate written into a contract "must remain unchanged during the time the contract is in effect" (26 MRSA §1306). Checked against maine.gov on October 25, 2026.
MDOL lists 3 painter rates for Knox County, from $32.48 to $60.41 an hour. See all of them.
MDOL's website rates "are for reference only". Bidders get the project-specific determination from the agency soliciting bids (§1306).
Base wage and fringe benefits: $29.16 + $3.32
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. MDOL prints the benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $29.16 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $3.32 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $32.48 |
When does this rate change?
- A rate in a contract stays unchanged for the life of the contract (26 MRSA §1306), so later sets don't change existing jobs.
- MDOL publishes one set a year. The 2026 set took effect January 10, 2026 after a 30-day notice period; the next comes after the July 2026 survey (MDOL 2026 rates).
Every painter rate in Knox County
As MDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Construction and Maintenance PaintersHeavy & Bridge · Midcoast region$60.41
- Construction and Maintenance PaintersHighway & Earthwork · Midcoast region$33.41
- Construction and Maintenance PaintersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) · Midcoast region$32.48
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and Maintenance PaintersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Midcoast region | $29.16 | $3.32 | $32.48 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Construction and Maintenance PaintersHighway & EarthworkMidcoast region | $32.96 | $0.45 | $33.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Construction and Maintenance PaintersHeavy & BridgeMidcoast region | $38.26 | $22.15 | $60.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon painter rate in Knox County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Maine's law excludes projects under Davis-Bacon with federally set rates, so a job uses one schedule or the other (26 M.R.S. 1304).
For building work, the matching Davis-Bacon classification is PAINTER (BRUSH AND ROLLER) at $18.52 ($15.86 base + $2.66 fringe), from ME20260010 modification 1, published May 18, 2026, rate SUME2014-019. Against MDOL's $32.48: MDOL's rate is $13.96 an hour higher.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | PAINTER (BRUSH AND ROLLER)SUME2014-019 | $15.86 | $18.52 | ME20260010 Mod 1 |
| Residential | PAINTER (EXCLUDING DRYWALL FINISHING)SUME1988-002 | $7.25 | $7.25 | ME20260005 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Maine Davis-Bacon changes
How Knox County compares
The main painter rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Maine
Wage and benefits, nearby
- Knox Countybase $29.16$32.48
- Lincoln Countybase $29.16$32.48
- Waldo Countybase $29.16$32.48
- Androscoggin Countybase $22.47$24.31
Painter rates in nearby counties
Current MDOL rates. Rates are published per county. "Locality" in the law is where the work is done plus the areas labor is recruited from (26 MRSA §1304(6)).
MDOL's painter rates for Knox County are the same as in 1 other county: Waldo.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Knox County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $29.16 | $32.48 | |
| Lincoln County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $29.16 | $32.48 | same |
| Waldo County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $29.16 | $32.48 | same |
| Kennebec County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $29.16 | $32.48 | same |
| Sagadahoc County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $29.16 | $32.48 | same |
| Hancock County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $20.74 | $29.62 | −$2.86 |
| Androscoggin County | Construction and Maintenance Painters | $22.47 | $24.31 | −$8.17 |
More from MDOL on this rate
- MDOL MDOL determination, page 1
- MDOL's 2026 fair minimum wage rates
- MDOL lists journey-level rates. Apprentice rates are those in a registered sponsorship agreement (26 MRSA §1314).
Are you being paid this rate?
You must get at least the minimum wage, and wage plus benefits of at least the total. Contractors post the rates on site and file payroll monthly with the public authority. An underpaid worker can recover the difference plus an equal penalty (26 MRSA §1312). MDOL Wage and Hour: (207) 623-7900.
Source
Department of Labor (MDOL), MDOL determination MDOL-2026-knox-b2, effective January 10, 2026, page 1: www.maine.gov/labor/docs/2026/laborstats/prevailingwage/Knox/2026%20B2%20Knox%20County.pdf
We read every row of MDOL's 2026 county and statewide PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. Wage plus benefit equals MDOL's printed total except for 28 one-cent rounding differences; we show the printed total. How we check · Download Knox County as CSV · Report an error