Back to Cost Database
SOC 47-2081Specialty Trades

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings and interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls.

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers earn a median $26.15/hr ($54,380/yr). Top-paying state: Illinois at $43.55/hr. True labor cost with burden: ~$35.30/hr.

$26.15
Median Hourly
$27.88
Mean Hourly
$54,380
Median Annual
105,400
Employment

Wage Distribution

10th
$16.22/hr
25th
$19.55/hr
Median
$26.15/hr
75th
$33.88/hr
90th
$43.22/hr

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Percentiles represent the wage below which a given percentage of workers fall.

Top-Paying States

#StateMedian Hourly
1Illinois$43.55
2Hawaii$41.22
3New York$39.88
4Alaska$38.55
5New Jersey$37.22

Top-Paying Metro Areas

#Metro AreaMedian Hourly
1Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI$48.22
2Honolulu, HI$44.55
3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$43.88
4San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$41.22
5Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$39.88

True Labor Cost: ~$35.30/hr

The base wage of $26.15/hr becomes approximately $35.30/hr after applying a 1.35x burden rate (payroll taxes, insurance, benefits, overhead).

Calculate Your Rate

Related Tools & Templates

Frequently Asked Questions

© 2026 ConstructionBids.ai — A LaderaLabs Product