Cost engine

How much does exterior painting cost?

National price ranges for exterior painting, the unit pricing contractors quote from, and what the same job costs across local markets.

Model reviewed August 2026

Exterior Painting cost

$2,800 – $15,000

Most homeowners pay around $6,400 for exterior painting, or $2.20–$6 per sq ft of wall area. Permit fees add $0–$0.

Estimate your job

Run your own numbers before scrolling — the same engine behind the ranges below.

Paint needed

2.3 gallons

2 coats

Paintable area
396 sq ft
Buy
3 gallons
Primer (1 coat)
1.2 gallons
Paint cost estimate
$114 – $234

Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.

What homeowners reported paying

Invoice amounts submitted by homeowners nationwide, shown beside the model.

Price breakdown

Budget scope$2,800
Typical project$6,400
Premium / complex$15,000
per sq ft of wall area$2.20 – $6
Permit fees$0 – $0
Timeline4-8 days of work

What drives the price

  • Wall square footage and number of stories
  • Stucco crack patching before painting
  • Elastomeric versus standard acrylic coating
  • Trim, soffit and shutter detail
  • Pressure washing and mildew treatment

Cost by state

The same scope priced through each state's labor, material and code load.

Most expensive states

Hawaii$10,900Alaska$8,900California$8,700New York$8,500Massachusetts$8,300District of Columbia$8,200

Least expensive states

Mississippi$5,400Oklahoma$5,500Arkansas$5,500West Virginia$5,600Nebraska$5,600Kentucky$5,600

Exterior Painting runs about 102% more in Hawaii than in Mississippi for an identical scope — almost entirely a labor and code-load difference.

Exterior Paint cost in Hawaii$4,800 – $25,500 · +70%Exterior Paint cost in Alaska$3,900 – $20,800 · +39%Exterior Paint cost in California$3,800 – $20,400 · +36%Exterior Paint cost in New York$3,700 – $19,800 · +32%Exterior Paint cost in Massachusetts$3,600 – $19,500 · +30%Exterior Paint cost in District of Columbia$3,600 – $19,200 · +28%Exterior Paint cost in New Jersey$3,500 – $18,700 · +24%Exterior Paint cost in Connecticut$3,400 – $18,300 · +22%Exterior Paint cost in Rhode Island$3,400 – $18,000 · +20%Exterior Paint cost in Washington$3,300 – $17,800 · +19%Exterior Paint cost in Oregon$3,300 – $17,500 · +16%Exterior Paint cost in Maryland$3,200 – $17,100 · +14%Exterior Paint cost in Illinois$3,100 – $16,600 · +11%Exterior Paint cost in New Hampshire$3,100 – $16,700 · +12%Exterior Paint cost in Colorado$3,100 – $16,400 · +9%Exterior Paint cost in Vermont$3,100 – $16,400 · +9%Exterior Paint cost in Maine$3,000 – $16,100 · +7%Exterior Paint cost in Nevada$3,000 – $16,100 · +7%Exterior Paint cost in Delaware$3,000 – $15,900 · +6%Exterior Paint cost in Minnesota$3,000 – $15,900 · +6%Exterior Paint cost in Pennsylvania$3,000 – $15,900 · +6%Exterior Paint cost in Florida$2,900 – $15,800 · +5%Exterior Paint cost in Virginia$2,900 – $15,600 · +4%Exterior Paint cost in Arizona$2,800 – $15,100 · +1%Exterior Paint cost in Montana$2,800 – $15,100 · 0%Exterior Paint cost in North Dakota$2,700 – $14,700 · -2%Exterior Paint cost in Wisconsin$2,800 – $14,700 · -2%Exterior Paint cost in Wyoming$2,700 – $14,700 · -2%Exterior Paint cost in Michigan$2,700 – $14,600 · -3%Exterior Paint cost in Utah$2,700 – $14,600 · -3%Exterior Paint cost in Idaho$2,700 – $14,400 · -4%Exterior Paint cost in Louisiana$2,700 – $14,300 · -5%Exterior Paint cost in Texas$2,700 – $14,300 · -5%Exterior Paint cost in Georgia$2,600 – $14,100 · -6%Exterior Paint cost in New Mexico$2,600 – $14,100 · -6%Exterior Paint cost in Indiana$2,600 – $13,700 · -8%Exterior Paint cost in North Carolina$2,600 – $13,900 · -7%Exterior Paint cost in Ohio$2,600 – $13,900 · -7%Exterior Paint cost in South Carolina$2,600 – $13,700 · -8%Exterior Paint cost in Alabama$2,500 – $13,400 · -11%Exterior Paint cost in Iowa$2,500 – $13,400 · -11%Exterior Paint cost in Missouri$2,500 – $13,400 · -11%Exterior Paint cost in South Dakota$2,500 – $13,400 · -11%Exterior Paint cost in Tennessee$2,500 – $13,400 · -11%Exterior Paint cost in Kansas$2,400 – $13,100 · -13%Exterior Paint cost in Kentucky$2,500 – $13,200 · -12%Exterior Paint cost in Nebraska$2,500 – $13,200 · -12%Exterior Paint cost in West Virginia$2,400 – $13,100 · -13%Exterior Paint cost in Arkansas$2,400 – $12,900 · -14%Exterior Paint cost in Oklahoma$2,400 – $12,900 · -14%Exterior Paint cost in Mississippi$2,300 – $12,600 · -16%

State benchmark table

Low, typical and high exterior painting pricing in every state, from the same model as the ranges above.

StateLowTypicalHighvs US
Hawaii$4,800$10,900$25,500+70%
Alaska$3,900$8,900$20,800+39%
California$3,800$8,700$20,400+36%
New York$3,700$8,500$19,800+32%
Massachusetts$3,600$8,300$19,500+30%
District of Columbia$3,600$8,200$19,200+28%
New Jersey$3,500$8,000$18,700+24%
Connecticut$3,400$7,800$18,300+22%
Rhode Island$3,400$7,700$18,000+20%
Washington$3,300$7,600$17,800+19%
Oregon$3,300$7,400$17,500+16%
Maryland$3,200$7,300$17,100+14%
Illinois$3,100$7,100$16,600+11%
New Hampshire$3,100$7,100$16,700+12%
Colorado$3,100$7,000$16,400+9%
Vermont$3,100$7,000$16,400+9%
Maine$3,000$6,900$16,100+7%
Nevada$3,000$6,900$16,100+7%
Delaware$3,000$6,800$15,900+6%
Minnesota$3,000$6,800$15,900+6%
Pennsylvania$3,000$6,800$15,900+6%
Florida$2,900$6,700$15,800+5%
Virginia$2,900$6,700$15,600+4%
Arizona$2,800$6,400$15,100+1%
Montana$2,800$6,400$15,1000%
North Dakota$2,700$6,300$14,700-2%
Wisconsin$2,800$6,300$14,700-2%
Wyoming$2,700$6,300$14,700-2%
Michigan$2,700$6,200$14,600-3%
Utah$2,700$6,200$14,600-3%
Idaho$2,700$6,100$14,400-4%
Louisiana$2,700$6,100$14,300-5%
Texas$2,700$6,100$14,300-5%
Georgia$2,600$6,000$14,100-6%
New Mexico$2,600$6,000$14,100-6%
Indiana$2,600$5,900$13,700-8%
North Carolina$2,600$5,900$13,900-7%
Ohio$2,600$5,900$13,900-7%
South Carolina$2,600$5,900$13,700-8%
Alabama$2,500$5,700$13,400-11%
Iowa$2,500$5,700$13,400-11%
Missouri$2,500$5,700$13,400-11%
South Dakota$2,500$5,700$13,400-11%
Tennessee$2,500$5,700$13,400-11%
Kansas$2,400$5,600$13,100-13%
Kentucky$2,500$5,600$13,200-12%
Nebraska$2,500$5,600$13,200-12%
West Virginia$2,400$5,600$13,100-13%
Arkansas$2,400$5,500$12,900-14%
Oklahoma$2,400$5,500$12,900-14%
Mississippi$2,300$5,400$12,600-16%

Cost by city

Same scope, adjusted for local labor, material and permit pricing. Each city also has a permit page.

Frequently asked questions

How long does exterior painting take?

4-8 days of work. Permit review and inspection scheduling are usually the largest source of variation.

What changes the price the most?

The largest cost drivers are wall square footage and number of stories; stucco crack patching before painting; elastomeric versus standard acrylic coating.

Sources

Sources & verification

Model vintage August 2026. The links above are the issuing agencies' own pages — we publish them so you can confirm the current rule yourself, not as evidence that each fact on this page was re-checked with them today. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing, not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.