Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for drywall and ceiling tile installerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $63,600 ≈ $31/hr
National median salary $58,930
Total employment 83,080 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.2%
Faster than average
Annual openings 7,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 103,100 → 107,400 (+4,300)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$96,460
- New Jersey$81,280
- Washington$80,450
- Oregon$75,770
- California$74,680
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$39,240
- Arkansas$43,410
- North Carolina$45,060
- Kansas$45,520
- Oklahoma$46,120
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $96,460 | $104,830 | $46 | +51.7% | 800 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $81,280 | $75,080 | $39 | +27.8% | 1,340 |
| 3 | Washington | $80,450 | $73,130 | $39 | +26.5% | 2,670 |
| 4 | Oregon | $75,770 | $73,530 | $36 | +19.1% | 1,680 |
| 5 | California | $74,680 | $65,880 | $36 | +17.4% | 27,280 |
| 6 | Illinois | $72,690 | $63,180 | $35 | +14.3% | 740 |
| 7 | New York | $68,930 | $61,280 | $33 | +8.4% | 2,840 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $68,220 | $69,500 | $33 | +7.3% | 590 |
| 9 | Alaska | $68,130 | $73,690 | $33 | +7.1% | 100 |
| 10 | Missouri | $67,200 | $62,580 | $32 | +5.7% | 550 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $67,190 | $61,960 | $32 | +5.6% | 370 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $65,600 | $61,290 | $32 | +3.1% | 1,050 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $61,980 | $61,160 | $30 | -2.5% | 1,690 |
| 14 | Colorado | $61,940 | $61,780 | $30 | -2.6% | 1,560 |
| 15 | Ohio | $61,060 | $61,420 | $29 | -4% | 1,680 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $61,000 | $60,480 | $29 | -4.1% | 300 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $60,020 | $59,970 | $29 | -5.6% | 1,140 |
| 18 | Montana | $59,910 | $60,140 | $29 | -5.8% | 170 |
| 19 | Nevada | $59,440 | $52,280 | $29 | -6.5% | 2,980 |
| 20 | Maine | $59,170 | $60,080 | $28 | -7% | 150 |
| 21 | Michigan | $58,520 | $58,440 | $28 | -8% | 1,050 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $57,360 | $47,110 | $28 | -9.8% | 440 |
| 23 | Georgia | $57,250 | $58,260 | $28 | -10% | 690 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $57,140 | $53,900 | $27 | -10.2% | 580 |
| 25 | Vermont | $57,080 | $59,820 | $27 | -10.3% | 90 |
| 26 | Virginia | $55,310 | $55,840 | $27 | -13% | 2,480 |
| 27 | Maryland | $55,130 | $54,680 | $27 | -13.3% | 1,470 |
| 28 | Indiana | $54,380 | $49,810 | $26 | -14.5% | 680 |
| 29 | Iowa | $53,230 | $51,030 | $26 | -16.3% | 290 |
| 30 | Utah | $52,720 | $51,020 | $25 | -17.1% | 2,610 |
| 31 | Arizona | $52,560 | $50,290 | $25 | -17.4% | 2,590 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $51,260 | $48,620 | $25 | -19.4% | 770 |
| 33 | Delaware | $50,860 | $50,170 | $24 | -20% | 350 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $50,750 | $48,850 | $24 | -20.2% | 360 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $49,710 | $47,510 | $24 | -21.8% | 1,150 |
| 36 | Texas | $49,040 | $47,590 | $24 | -22.9% | 5,760 |
| 37 | Florida | $48,900 | $48,970 | $24 | -23.1% | 6,000 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $48,410 | $45,340 | $23 | -23.9% | 340 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $48,340 | $47,420 | $23 | -24% | 310 |
| 40 | Idaho | $48,240 | $43,790 | $23 | -24.2% | 920 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $48,100 | $48,340 | $23 | -24.4% | 490 |
| 42 | Alabama | $47,910 | $48,000 | $23 | -24.7% | 650 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $46,870 | $45,110 | $23 | -26.3% | 130 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $46,820 | $43,990 | $23 | -26.4% | 140 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $46,120 | $46,080 | $22 | -27.5% | 280 |
| 46 | Kansas | $45,520 | $39,890 | $22 | -28.4% | 650 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $45,060 | $45,080 | $22 | -29.2% | 1,520 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $43,410 | $44,550 | $21 | -31.7% | 240 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $39,240 | $37,310 | $19 | -38.3% | 110 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 208 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $105,910 | $97,000 | 710 |
| 2 | Napa, CA | $84,410 | $85,960 | 50 |
| 3 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $83,190 | $96,360 | 60 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82,650 | $92,730 | 700 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,160 | $91,080 | 2,510 |
| 6 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,100 | $82,350 | 1,100 |
| 7 | Worcester, MA | $80,280 | $73,590 | 120 |
| 8 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $79,840 | $86,330 | 80 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,430 | $91,620 | 1,960 |
| 10 | El Centro, CA | $78,020 | $65,950 | 90 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing drywall and ceiling tile installerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $122,520 | $117,030 | — |
| 2 | Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | $102,240 | $100,240 | 90 |
| 3 | Building Equipment Contractors | $82,480 | $92,770 | 760 |
| 4 | Nonresidential Building Construction | $67,180 | $75,230 | 7,430 |
| 5 | Construction of Buildings | $61,870 | $69,310 | 11,830 |
| 6 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $60,390 | $61,540 | 320 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $59,230 | $63,790 | 40 |
| 8 | Sector 23 - Construction | $59,200 | $64,120 | 80,680 |
| 9 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $58,930 | $63,600 | 83,080 |
| 10 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $58,930 | $63,600 | 83,040 |
| 11 | Drywall and Insulation Contractors | $58,850 | $63,170 | 63,280 |
| 12 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $58,810 | $63,200 | 68,820 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make in the U.S.?
The median drywall and ceiling tile installers salary in the United States is $58,930 per year (mean $63,600), and about 80% earn between $38,460 and $102,010.
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make per hour?
Roughly $31 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $63,600 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays drywall and ceiling tile installers the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers at $96,460 per year (median $104,830).
What is the job outlook for drywall and ceiling tile installers?
Employment is projected to change +4.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 7,700 openings per year.