Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 83K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$58,930
Median hourly
$28
Average annual
$63,600
Typical range
$38,460–$102,010
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers is $58,930 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $28 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound.
Most earn between $38,460 and $102,010 a year. There are roughly 83K people employed as drywall and ceiling tile installers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers.
- Hourly
- $28.33
- Daily
- $227
- Weekly
- $1,133
- Bi-weekly
- $2,267
- Monthly
- $4,911
- Annual
- $58,930
$58,930 a year is around the 50th percentile for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installerss. The median is $58,930.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Hawaii$104,830
- 2New Jersey$75,080
- 3Alaska$73,690
- 4Oregon$73,530
- 5Washington$73,130
- 6Massachusetts$69,500
- 7California$65,880
- 8Illinois$63,180
- 9Missouri$62,580
- 10New Hampshire$61,960
- 11Colorado$61,780
- 12Ohio$61,420
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Urban Honolulu, HI$105,910
- 2Napa, CA$84,410
- 3Kahului-Wailuku, HI$83,190
- 4Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$82,650
- 5San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$82,160
- 6Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$81,100
- 7Worcester, MA$80,280
- 8San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$79,430
- 9El Centro, CA$78,020
- 10San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$76,290
- 11Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$75,560
- 12Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$74,740
Related job titles
Employers advertise Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers roles under these titles.
- Acoustical Carpenter
- Acoustical Ceiling Installer
- Acoustical Consultant
- Acoustical Installer
- Acoustical Specialist
- Dry Wall Installer
- Drywall Application Specialist
- Drywall Applicator
- Drywall Boardhanger
- Drywall Carrier
- Drywall Contractor
- Drywall Finisher
- Drywall Hanger
- Drywall Installer
- Drywall Mechanic
- Drywall Metal Stud Worker
Related occupations
What a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers does
- Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
- Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
- Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
- Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
- Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.
- Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
- Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives.
- Hang dry lines to wall moldings to guide positioning of main runners.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers make?
- The median annual wage for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers is $58,930 ($28 per hour). Pay ranges from about $38,460 at the 10th percentile to $102,010 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $63,600, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installerss the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $104,830.
- Is Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 83K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers do?
- Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.; Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.; Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools..