Drywall Installer Salary in California

$32/hr

Read California installer wage ranges alongside national construction-sector figures, then compare paid duties, hours and benefits in offers.

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What Drywall Installers Earn in California

California employee wages span $22.14–$57.81/hr, with published annual earnings of $46,050–$120,240 a year. These figures cover drywall and ceiling tile installers together. Taping belongs to a separate occupation. For an installation offer, connect the wage with paid stocking, cutting and cleanup time. Ask how the employer handles overtime and benefits alongside the stated hourly range. Match the quoted duties to your panel installation experience.

Hourly rates by level in California

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.14–$26.83/hr
▼ 0% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$26.83–$40.95/hr
▼ 0% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$40.95–$57.81/hr
▼ 0% from last year

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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 Installer
California · Day Shift
Base rate$33.89
+ Nor Cal Carpenters Drywall/Lathing Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$3.51
+ Southwest Carpenters Training Fund Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$5.44
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.84
Effective hourly$43.68
Straight · 40 hrs$1,747
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$524
Weekly gross$2,271
Annualised · 50 weeks
$113,568
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

For California job searches, these national sector figures show different employer settings for panel hanging, ceiling installation and coordination with other trades.

01 / 03$32.30/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate partitions and ceilings with services. Ask California employers about inspection sequences, overhead access and material deliveries. Establish who pays for required preparation when the floor is waiting for board or access.

+ Larger interiors
+ Trade coordination
– Restricted access
– Delivery changes
02 / 03$28.27/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Specialist drywall firms organize hanging around framing and finishing crews. Discuss moves between California sites and responsibility for stocking each floor. Include time spent preparing openings and handling damaged sheets when discussing the expected daily output.

+ Installation focus
+ Varied assemblies
– Site changes
– Stocking demands
03 / 03$27.51/hr

Residential Building Construction

Homebuilding and remodeling place panels in houses and apartments. Ask about occupied rooms, stair access and protection of completed surfaces. Discuss how the crew records smaller repair assignments when several rooms need different panel cuts.

+ Room repetition
+ Remodeling variety
– Tight access
– Occupant coordination

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. 01Californiathis page$31.67/hr
  2. 02Virginia$26.84/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
Nor Cal Carpenters Drywall/Lathing Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$3.51$7,301$00 weeks
Southwest Carpenters Training Fund Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$5.44$11,315$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$2.52$5,242$1592 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.84$1,747$592 weeks
Supported Scaffold User+$0.34$707$353 weeks
EPA Lead RRP Certified Renovator (Initial)+$0.67$1,394$2038 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $31.67/hr.

40 hr week
$1,267
No OT
50 hr week
$1,742
+$23,753/yr
60 hr week
$2,217
+$47,505/yr
70 hr week
$2,692
+$71,258/yr

Questions workers ask

Does pay per sheet remove overtime?▾
No. Covered employees paid per sheet keep overtime rights under the Labor Commissioner's overtime rules. Track all working time, including carrying sheets and clearing scraps. Overtime generally applies after eight daily or 40 weekly hours, with qualifying exceptions. Ask payroll how production earnings enter the overtime calculation.
Does piece-rate pay cover my rest breaks?▾
No. Labor Code Section 226.2, which the Labor Commissioner enforces, requires piece-rate employees to be paid separately for rest and recovery periods and other nonproductive time. Your wage statement must list those hours and pay.
Am I paid if sent home when panels don't arrive?▾
Usually, yes. Under the Industrial Welfare Commission's Wage Order 16, if you report as scheduled but get less than half your usual day's work, you earn half the scheduled day, at least two and at most four hours. Some exceptions apply.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, SOC 47-2081; includes ceiling tile installation, excludes premium pay and benefits, and separates taping under SOC 47-2082.

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