Drywall Installer Salary in USA

$28/hr

Compare installation offers by scope, paid hours and benefits. Hanging wages, finishing wages and subcontract prices answer different questions.

Change trade or state

What Drywall Installers Earn in the United States

Current national employee wages for drywall and ceiling tile installers span $18.49–$49.04/hr, or $38,460–$102,010/year, with a $28.33/hr median. This BLS occupation includes ceiling tile installation; it is not a panel-hanging-only estimate. Location, employer and assignment affect offers. Compare expected paid hours, benefits and expenses together. Experience labels do not establish union classifications or guarantee progression, and subcontract revenue includes costs beyond an employee's wage.

Hourly rates by level in USA

What drywall installers earn at each stage of the trade in USA, before overtime or per-diem.

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$18.49–$22.81/hr
▲ 1.36% from last year
Skilled · 3–7 yrs
$22.81–$35.69/hr
▲ 1.36% from last year
Lead · 7+ yrs
$35.69–$49.04/hr
▲ 1.36% from last year

Find Drywall Installer jobs.

Browse open jobs

Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other drywall installers in USA.

What are you making?

Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.

$/ hr

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

You're right around the middle

$32.00 is above roughly 52% of this market. The top quarter starts at $37.00, and the median sits at $31.50.

10th
$18
25th
$25
Median
$32
75th
$37
90th
$50
YOU · $32.00
Your percentile
52th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$66,560
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
+$1,040
Above the median

Build your rate

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
American RecruitsEstimate
Skilled Drywall Installer
USA · Day Shift
Base rate$29.25
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.38
+ NCCER Drywall$0.75
Effective hourly$30.38
Straight · 40 hrs$1,215
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$365
Weekly gross$1,580
Annualised · 50 weeks
$78,988
8 OT hrs/week · USA

Who pays the most in USA

Commercial installation, specialist finishing contractors and homebuilding are the three sectors ranked here. National drywall and ceiling-tile installer medians provide comparison; access, travel and changing project schedules differ, and the selection is not exhaustive.

01 / 03$32.30/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Installation within commercial building projects.

+ Larger projects
+ Crew coordination
– Access restrictions
– Schedule changes
02 / 03$28.27/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Installation within specialist contracting services.

+ Trade focus
+ Varied assignments
– Uneven workloads
– Travel demands
03 / 03$27.51/hr

Residential Building Construction

Installation within homebuilding projects.

+ Local projects
+ Repeated layouts
– Variable demand
– Changing schedules

Which states pay drywall installers 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. 01California$31.67/hr
  2. 02Virginia$26.84/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.75$1,560$1625 weeks
Scaffold User/Competent Person+$1$2,080$2005 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.38$790$906 weeks
NCCER Drywall+$0.75$1,560$2007 weeks
First Aid/CPR (OSHA-aligned)+$0.25$520$758 weeks

What overtime actually adds

At $28.33/hr.

40 hr week
$1,133
No OT
50 hr week
$1,558
+$21,247/yr
60 hr week
$1,983
+$42,495/yr
70 hr week
$2,408
+$63,742/yr

Questions workers ask

Does pay per sheet remove overtime rights?▾
No. Piece rates do not automatically remove overtime for covered, nonexempt employees. Ask how hours are recorded and how the regular rate is calculated when rework or production delays change the payout.
Is travel between installation sites paid time?▾
Generally, yes. Federal guidance treats workday travel from one site to another as working time, unlike ordinary commuting. Ask which duties start the paid day and record departure and arrival times.
Can broken-tool charges reduce wages without limits?▾
No. Federal rules restrict employer-benefit deductions that reduce covered workers below minimum wages or cut required overtime. State protections may be stronger. Ask who supplies tools and how charges appear on your pay statement.

See open Drywall Installer jobs

Verified positions matching this trade.

See Open JobsBuild My Profile — Free

Current BLS national employee wages for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, SOC 47-2081; finishing has a separate series.

Last updated October 20, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.