Cost engine

How much does interior painting cost?

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

Model reviewed August 2026

Interior Painting cost

$1,500 – $9,500

Most homeowners pay around $3,800 for interior painting, or $1.80–$5 per sq ft of floor 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$1,500
Typical project$3,800
Premium / complex$9,500
per sq ft of floor area$1.80 – $5
Permit fees$0 – $0
Timeline2-5 days of work

What drives the price

  • Wall square footage and ceiling height
  • Number of coats and color changes
  • Trim, doors and ceilings included
  • Drywall patching and prep
  • Paint grade

Cost by state

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

Most expensive states

Hawaii$6,500Alaska$5,300California$5,200New York$5,100Massachusetts$5,000District of Columbia$4,900

Least expensive states

Oklahoma$3,200Mississippi$3,200Arkansas$3,200West Virginia$3,300Nebraska$3,300Kentucky$3,300

Interior Painting runs about 103% more in Hawaii than in Oklahoma for an identical scope — almost entirely a labor and code-load difference.

Interior Paint cost in Hawaii$2,600 – $16,300 · +72%Interior Paint cost in Alaska$2,100 – $13,200 · +39%Interior Paint cost in California$2,100 – $13,000 · +37%Interior Paint cost in New York$2,000 – $12,600 · +33%Interior Paint cost in Massachusetts$2,000 – $12,400 · +31%Interior Paint cost in District of Columbia$1,900 – $12,200 · +28%Interior Paint cost in Connecticut$1,800 – $11,600 · +23%Interior Paint cost in New Jersey$1,900 – $11,900 · +25%Interior Paint cost in Rhode Island$1,800 – $11,400 · +20%Interior Paint cost in Washington$1,800 – $11,300 · +19%Interior Paint cost in Oregon$1,800 – $11,100 · +17%Interior Paint cost in Maryland$1,700 – $10,900 · +14%Interior Paint cost in Colorado$1,600 – $10,400 · +10%Interior Paint cost in Illinois$1,700 – $10,500 · +11%Interior Paint cost in New Hampshire$1,700 – $10,600 · +12%Interior Paint cost in Vermont$1,600 – $10,400 · +9%Interior Paint cost in Maine$1,600 – $10,200 · +7%Interior Paint cost in Nevada$1,600 – $10,200 · +7%Interior Paint cost in Delaware$1,600 – $10,100 · +6%Interior Paint cost in Florida$1,600 – $10,000 · +5%Interior Paint cost in Minnesota$1,600 – $10,100 · +6%Interior Paint cost in Pennsylvania$1,600 – $10,100 · +6%Interior Paint cost in Virginia$1,600 – $9,900 · +4%Interior Paint cost in Arizona$1,500 – $9,500 · 0%Interior Paint cost in Montana$1,500 – $9,500 · 0%Interior Paint cost in Michigan$1,500 – $9,200 · -3%Interior Paint cost in North Dakota$1,500 – $9,300 · -2%Interior Paint cost in Utah$1,500 – $9,200 · -3%Interior Paint cost in Wisconsin$1,500 – $9,300 · -2%Interior Paint cost in Wyoming$1,500 – $9,300 · -2%Interior Paint cost in Georgia$1,400 – $8,900 · -6%Interior Paint cost in Idaho$1,400 – $9,100 · -4%Interior Paint cost in Louisiana$1,400 – $9,000 · -5%Interior Paint cost in New Mexico$1,400 – $8,900 · -6%Interior Paint cost in Texas$1,400 – $9,000 · -5%Interior Paint cost in Indiana$1,400 – $8,700 · -9%Interior Paint cost in North Carolina$1,400 – $8,800 · -7%Interior Paint cost in Ohio$1,400 – $8,800 · -8%Interior Paint cost in South Carolina$1,400 – $8,700 · -9%Interior Paint cost in Alabama$1,300 – $8,500 · -11%Interior Paint cost in Iowa$1,300 – $8,400 · -11%Interior Paint cost in Missouri$1,300 – $8,500 · -11%Interior Paint cost in South Dakota$1,300 – $8,400 · -11%Interior Paint cost in Tennessee$1,300 – $8,500 · -11%Interior Paint cost in Kansas$1,300 – $8,200 · -13%Interior Paint cost in Kentucky$1,300 – $8,300 · -12%Interior Paint cost in Nebraska$1,300 – $8,300 · -12%Interior Paint cost in West Virginia$1,300 – $8,200 · -13%Interior Paint cost in Arkansas$1,300 – $8,100 · -15%Interior Paint cost in Mississippi$1,200 – $7,900 · -17%Interior Paint cost in Oklahoma$1,300 – $8,100 · -15%

State benchmark table

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

StateLowTypicalHighvs US
Hawaii$2,600$6,500$16,300+72%
Alaska$2,100$5,300$13,200+39%
California$2,100$5,200$13,000+37%
New York$2,000$5,100$12,600+33%
Massachusetts$2,000$5,000$12,400+31%
District of Columbia$1,900$4,900$12,200+28%
Connecticut$1,800$4,700$11,600+23%
New Jersey$1,900$4,700$11,900+25%
Rhode Island$1,800$4,600$11,400+20%
Washington$1,800$4,500$11,300+19%
Oregon$1,800$4,400$11,100+17%
Maryland$1,700$4,300$10,900+14%
Colorado$1,600$4,200$10,400+10%
Illinois$1,700$4,200$10,500+11%
New Hampshire$1,700$4,200$10,600+12%
Vermont$1,600$4,200$10,400+9%
Maine$1,600$4,100$10,200+7%
Nevada$1,600$4,100$10,200+7%
Delaware$1,600$4,000$10,100+6%
Florida$1,600$4,000$10,000+5%
Minnesota$1,600$4,000$10,100+6%
Pennsylvania$1,600$4,000$10,100+6%
Virginia$1,600$4,000$9,900+4%
Arizona$1,500$3,800$9,5000%
Montana$1,500$3,800$9,5000%
Michigan$1,500$3,700$9,200-3%
North Dakota$1,500$3,700$9,300-2%
Utah$1,500$3,700$9,200-3%
Wisconsin$1,500$3,700$9,300-2%
Wyoming$1,500$3,700$9,300-2%
Georgia$1,400$3,600$8,900-6%
Idaho$1,400$3,600$9,100-4%
Louisiana$1,400$3,600$9,000-5%
New Mexico$1,400$3,600$8,900-6%
Texas$1,400$3,600$9,000-5%
Indiana$1,400$3,500$8,700-9%
North Carolina$1,400$3,500$8,800-7%
Ohio$1,400$3,500$8,800-8%
South Carolina$1,400$3,500$8,700-9%
Alabama$1,300$3,400$8,500-11%
Iowa$1,300$3,400$8,400-11%
Missouri$1,300$3,400$8,500-11%
South Dakota$1,300$3,400$8,400-11%
Tennessee$1,300$3,400$8,500-11%
Kansas$1,300$3,300$8,200-13%
Kentucky$1,300$3,300$8,300-12%
Nebraska$1,300$3,300$8,300-12%
West Virginia$1,300$3,300$8,200-13%
Arkansas$1,300$3,200$8,100-15%
Mississippi$1,200$3,200$7,900-17%
Oklahoma$1,300$3,200$8,100-15%

Cost by city

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

Frequently asked questions

How much paint do I need for a room?

One gallon covers roughly 350 to 400 square feet per coat. Multiply wall length by ceiling height, subtract openings, then double it for two coats.

How long does interior painting take?

2-5 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 ceiling height; number of coats and color changes; trim, doors and ceilings included.

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.