PAINTING
Ceiling Painting Cost: Per Square Foot in 2026
Estimate ceiling painting cost per square foot — with the free painting calculator.
Painting a ceiling is the fastest refresh a room can get — and it's a different job than walls. Here's what pros charge in 2026.
THE SHORT ANSWER
The short answer
Ceiling painting runs $1.50–$5 per sq ft installed in 2026 ($1.37–$2.95 national average). A typical 12×12 room (144 sq ft) runs $200–$500. Materials run $0.30–$0.60 per sq ft; labor is the rest.
What it costs
Professional ceiling painting runs $1.50–$5 per sq ft. A standard 12×12 room with 144 sq ft of ceiling runs $200–$500. Textured ceilings cost more to paint. Priming a stained or new ceiling adds 30-50%.
- Per sq ft: $1.50–$5
- 12×12 room: $200–$500
- Materials: $0.30–$0.60 per sq ft
- Textured or primed: +30–50%
Ceiling vs wall painting
Ceilings cost slightly more per sq ft than walls because of overhead work, drop cloths and edge cutting. Most pros paint ceilings first, then walls — bundling both saves on setup. A full room runs $400–$1,200.
Try the painting calculator
Enter the area and per-sq-ft rates to estimate the job.