Quick answer
Interior painting costs $2–$6 per square foot of floor area in 2026, with a national average around $4/sqft. A typical 2,000-sqft home interior repaint lands between $4,000 and $12,000 depending on scope, prep required, and where you live. Walls-only jobs sit at the low end of the range; adding ceilings, trim, doors, and cabinets pushes toward the high end.
Below-$2/sqft quotes are red flags for skipped prep, one-coat coverage, or an unlicensed painter cutting corners. Above $6/sqft usually means high-detail work (crown molding, cabinets, faux finishes) or a premium metro (SF, NYC, LA, Boston).
Cost by house size (national averages, 2026)
These are total project ranges for a standard 2-coat interior repaint of walls, using mid-grade paint, in a home in average condition. Ceilings and trim add roughly 30–60% on top.
| House size | Walls only | Walls + ceilings + trim |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sqft | $2,000–$4,500 | $3,000–$7,000 |
| 1,200 sqft | $2,400–$5,500 | $3,600–$8,500 |
| 1,500 sqft | $3,000–$6,500 | $4,500–$10,500 |
| 2,000 sqft | $4,000–$9,000 | $6,000–$14,000 |
| 2,500 sqft | $5,000–$11,000 | $7,500–$17,000 |
| 3,000 sqft | $6,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$20,000 |
| 4,000 sqft | $8,000–$17,000 | $12,000–$26,000 |
Cost by room (single room only)
- Standard bedroom (12×12 walls only): $300–$700
- Master bedroom (larger + closet): $500–$1,200
- Living room (higher walls, more area): $600–$1,500
- Kitchen (walls, minus cabinet area): $400–$1,000
- Bathroom (small, but detail work): $250–$600
- Hallway or stairwell: $400–$1,200 (tall walls, hard access)
What's actually in the per-square-foot rate
The $2–$6/sqft benchmark covers a standard 2-coat repaint on walls of an existing home in average condition. Here's the labor-vs-materials split at the $4/sqft midpoint on a 1,500-sqft house ($6,000 project):
- Labor: ~70% ($4,200). Painter's time is the dominant cost — prep, taping, priming, cutting-in, rolling, and cleanup.
- Paint and primer: ~15% ($900). Roughly 12–16 gallons at $40–$70/gal for mid-grade paint. Premium paint (Benjamin Moore Aura, Sherwin-Williams Emerald) can double this line.
- Other materials: ~5% ($300). Tape, drop cloths, brushes, rollers, patching compound, caulk.
- Overhead + profit: ~10% ($600). Truck, insurance, tools, and the painter's margin.
What pushes the price UP
- Heavy prep work. Peeling paint, water damage, extensive patching, or lead-paint remediation can add $500–$3,000+ to a project.
- High ceilings. 12– or 14-foot ceilings need scaffolding or extension work — add 20–40% to the affected rooms.
- Trim, doors, and cabinets. Trim alone is $1–$3/linear foot; cabinet painting is $30–$60 per door front, easily $2,000–$8,000 for a full kitchen.
- Multiple colors. Each accent wall or accent color adds an extra setup + coat.
- Wallpaper removal. $1–$3/sqft on top of the paint job.
- Location. SF Bay Area, NYC, LA, and Boston metros can add 30–50% over the national average.
How we know: the BLS cross-check
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data, the national median wage for a painter is $23.75/hr. A production painter covers roughly 100–150 sqft of wall area per hour on a straightforward job. At a $52–$71/hr fully-loaded labor cost (median wage × 2.2–3.0 for burden and overhead), that's roughly $0.35–$0.70 per sqft of wall area in labor — or about $1.20–$2.10 per sqft of floor area once you account for the fact that walls, ceilings, and trim are more surface than floor. Add materials at $0.30–$0.60/sqft and profit at 15–25%, and you land in the $2–$6/sqft range every industry source cites. The math checks out.
FAQ
How much should it cost to paint the interior of a 2,000 sqft house?
A standard 2-coat repaint of walls in a 2,000-sqft house runs $4,000–$9,000 in 2026, with $6,000 being the national midpoint. Adding ceilings, trim, and doors brings the total to $6,000–$14,000. Bay Area or NYC prices can be 30–50% higher.
How much should it cost to paint the interior of a 1,500 sqft house?
Expect $3,000–$6,500 for walls only, $4,500–$10,500 for a full interior including ceilings and trim. National average lands around $6,000 for the full interior. Full room-by-room breakdown on our 1,500 sq ft house painting cost page.
How much would a painter charge to paint a 12x12 room?
A standard 12×12 bedroom (walls only, 2 coats, mid-grade paint, average condition) runs $300–$700. Add $150–$300 for the ceiling and $100–$250 for trim.
Is hiring a painter cheaper than a handyman?
For a large or detail-oriented job (a whole-house repaint, cabinet painting, high ceilings), a dedicated painter is usually the same price or cheaper per square foot than a handyman — they're faster because they do it every day. For a single small room or touch-up work, a handyman at $60–$80/hr can be cheaper simply because they'll do it in less time and skip the setup overhead a painting crew brings.
How much does Home Depot charge to paint interior walls?
Home Depot itself doesn't paint homes; they refer the job to a licensed painting contractor in their network. Priced through the referral, expect national-average rates ($2–$6/sqft) plus a small overhead vs. hiring an independent painter directly. Getting a second quote from an independent painter is often 10–20% cheaper.
How much to paint a 1,500 sqft house interior DIY?
Materials only, DIY: $400–$800 for a 1,500-sqft interior 2-coat repaint. That's paint (12–16 gallons of mid-grade at $40–$70/gal), primer if needed, tape, drop cloths, brushes, rollers, and patching compound. Plan on 40–80 hours of your own time depending on prep required and how much detail work is involved.
Related
By house size: cost to paint a 1,500 sq ft house interior. For exterior: cost to paint the exterior of a house and exterior painting cost per square foot. Cabinets: cost to paint kitchen cabinets. See what painters earn on our painter rates pages (worker salary data, all 51 states).
Updated August 2026. Sources: BLS OEWS 2025 (472141 Painters), Homewyse, TaskRabbit, Houzz, ASP SuperHome.