Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$58,930
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$28.33
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$102,010
entry level starts ~$38,460
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 83,000 employed

How much do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers make?

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers earn a median annual salary of $58,930 in the United States, which works out to roughly $28.33 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $38,460 at the entry level and $102,010 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $47,440 and $74,230 a year.

That is $2,460 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary range by percentile

Half of all Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers earn between $47,440 and $74,230 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$38,460$18.49
25th percentile (early career)$47,440$22.81
50th percentile (median)$58,930$28.33
75th percentile (experienced)$74,230$35.69
90th percentile (top earners)$102,010$49.04

Highest-paying states for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Hawaii leads the country for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers pay at $104,830 a year, followed by New Jersey ($75,080) and Alaska ($73,690). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $37,310 — a gap of $67,520 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Hawaii$104,830$50.40+78%
2New Jersey$75,080$36.10+27%
3Alaska$73,690$35.43+25%
4Oregon$73,530$35.35+25%
5Washington$73,130$35.16+24%

Workforce and education

About 83,000 people work as Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $63,600 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers make in the United States?
The median Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary in the United States is $58,930 per year, or about $28.33 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $38,460, while the top 10% of earners make $102,010 or more.
How does Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers median of $58,930 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers the most?
Hawaii is the highest-paying state for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, with a median salary of $104,830 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers work in the United States?
About 83,000 people were employed as Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other construction & trades roles with similar pay.

Insulation Worker, Mechanical

$58,340
median pay · 26,000 employed

Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers

$49,910
median pay · 28,000 employed

Painters, Construction and Maintenance

$49,400
median pay · 225,000 employed

Highway Maintenance Worker

$50,260
median pay · 155,000 employed

Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles

$56,460
median pay · 24,000 employed

Construction and Building Inspectors

$74,690
median pay · 147,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.