Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers: Career Profile
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. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.
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What Do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Do?
Typical responsibilities of drywall and ceiling tile installers span:
- Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
- 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.
- Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents.
- Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
- Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.
- Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful drywall and ceiling tile installers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Acoustical Carpenter
- Acoustical Ceiling Installer
- Acoustical Consultant
- Acoustical Installer
- Acoustical Specialist
- Ceiling Installer
- Dry Wall Installer
- Drywall Application Specialist
Employment and Demand
There are about 386,346 drywall and ceiling tile installers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $30,496 |
| Hourly median | $14.66 |
| 10th percentile | $21,167 |
| 25th percentile | $25,832 |
| 75th percentile | $35,161 |
| 90th percentile | $39,826 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $104,670 |
| Connecticut | $79,510 |
| Alaska | $75,150 |
| Washington | $70,310 |
| Illinois | $69,810 |
| Massachusetts | $67,390 |
| California | $65,880 |
| New Jersey | $64,940 |
| Minnesota | $62,390 |
| New Hampshire | $61,810 |
| Maine | $60,060 |
| New York | $59,960 |
| Ohio | $59,560 |
| Missouri | $59,050 |
| West Virginia | $58,750 |
| Colorado | $58,640 |
| Oregon | $58,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,270 |
| Wisconsin | $57,990 |
| Georgia | $53,590 |
| Delaware | $53,300 |
| Michigan | $53,170 |
| New Mexico | $52,470 |
| Indiana | $52,370 |
| Virginia | $51,760 |
| Maryland | $51,540 |
| Nevada | $51,290 |
| Utah | $50,860 |
| Texas | $50,120 |
| Iowa | $49,940 |
| Vermont | $48,480 |
| Nebraska | $48,470 |
| North Carolina | $48,460 |
| Wyoming | $48,380 |
| South Dakota | $48,280 |
| Arizona | $48,130 |
| Kansas | $48,090 |
| Oklahoma | $47,490 |
| Kentucky | $46,950 |
| Florida | $46,930 |
| Alabama | $46,880 |
| Montana | $46,030 |
| Tennessee | $45,990 |
| Idaho | $45,830 |
| South Carolina | $44,670 |
| Arkansas | $43,470 |
| Mississippi | $43,470 |
| Louisiana | $36,780 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,910 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $65,716 | 44.3% | 2.72 |
| New England | $63,832 | 2.0% | 0.67 |
| Great Lakes | $58,746 | 5.8% | 0.51 |
| Middle Atlantic | $57,683 | 8.9% | 0.72 |
| Plains States | $52,499 | 4.0% | 0.84 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,044 | 5.9% | 1.71 |
| Southwest | $49,526 | 12.6% | 1.22 |
| Southeast | $47,739 | 15.8% | 0.72 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $108,210 | 640 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $99,130 | 100 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $82,920 | 740 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $82,410 | 2,070 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $80,500 | 2,920 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $80,320 | |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $78,160 | 140 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $77,890 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of drywall and ceiling tile installers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 80,860 | $58,300 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 930 | $37,810 |
| Manufacturing | 890 | $46,800 |
Below are examples of industries where drywall and ceiling tile installers work:
Tools and Technology
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of drywall and ceiling tile installers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Getting Started in This Career
Typical drywall and ceiling tile installers positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Supplemental)
- Carpenters (Primary-Short)
- Carpet Installers (Supplemental)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Long)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Long)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Supplemental)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Construction Laborers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring drywall and ceiling tile installers typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2081.00 (Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers).
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