Drywall Finisher Salary in California

$35/hr

Review California finishing wages alongside daily overtime, paid hours and benefits before choosing between new drywall crew offers and contracting.

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What Drywall Finishers Earn in California

California employee wages range from $22.02–$55.47/hr, with a $35.32/hr median and a published annual median of $73,460. Annual wages range from $45,800–$115,370. These figures describe tapers, whose work centers on joints and finished surfaces. California's $16.90 statewide minimum sits below every displayed rate. Use the experience bands to compare offers. Contractor prices also pay for business costs beyond a worker's wages. Discuss benefits alongside paid hours.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.02–$28.73/hr
▲ 5.46% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.73–$42.57/hr
▲ 5.46% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$42.57–$55.47/hr
▲ 5.46% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Drywall Finisher
California · Day Shift
Base rate$35.65
+ IUPAT DC 36 / So. Cal Drywall Finishers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$10.47
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.09
+ Supported Scaffold User$0.15
Effective hourly$47.36
Straight · 40 hrs$1,894
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$568
Weekly gross$2,463
Annualised · 50 weeks
$123,136
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

Compare these national industry medians with local offers, including daily overtime, employer health coverage and responsibility for surface repairs between finishing stages.

01 / 03$33.84/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Taping specialists serve California drywall packages. Discuss whether your assignment includes hand taping, automatic tools, texture matching and repairs after other interior crews enter.

+ Dedicated finishing crews
+ Specialized tool practice
– Moving project assignments
– Additional repair rounds
02 / 03$32.76/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Office and institutional interiors bring ceiling and corridor work. Ask about ceiling access equipment, staged room completion, platform setup and daily overtime schedules.

+ Larger coordinated interiors
+ Defined project stages
– Restricted room access
– Compressed completion schedules
03 / 03$32.52/hr

Residential Building Construction

House construction puts finishers between board crews and painters. Compare daily hours, surface preparation and repair responsibilities across successive new home assignments.

+ Familiar room layouts
+ Whole house assignments
– Repeated site changes
– Final inspection repairs

Which states pay drywall finishers the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$35.32/hr
  2. 02Virginia$32.82/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUPAT DC 36 / So. Cal Drywall Finishers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$10.47$21,778$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.09$2,267$1594 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.36$749$595 weeks
Supported Scaffold User+$0.15$312$356 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.09$187$5917 weeks
EPA Lead RRP Certified Renovator (Initial)+$0.29$603$20318 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $35.32/hr.

40 hr week
$1,413
No OT
50 hr week
$1,943
+$26,490/yr
60 hr week
$2,472
+$52,980/yr
70 hr week
$3,002
+$79,470/yr

Questions workers ask

Does a ten-hour California finishing day earn overtime?▾
Yes, if you are nonexempt. Under the Labor Commissioner's overtime rules, nonexempt employees receive time-and-a-half after eight hours daily and double time after twelve. Special schedules and qualifying collective agreements have exceptions. Ask how your crew's schedule is treated. Record daily hours for setup, taping, sanding and cleanup together.
What should my California wage statement show?▾
Under Labor Code Section 226, which the Labor Commissioner enforces, it must itemize earnings, deductions, net pay, pay-period dates, hours and applicable hourly rates, along with required identifying information. Match it against your daily records when a finishing assignment crosses pay periods. Raise missing hours with payroll promptly.
Can a city require more than California's statewide minimum?▾
Yes. Some California cities and counties require higher minimum wages. Identify the local rule for your job before accepting an entry offer. All rates above exceed the statewide minimum.

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Current BLS May 2025 California employee wages for Tapers, SOC 47-2082; these figures cover tapers only and exclude overtime premiums and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.