Occupation salary profile

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

SOC 47-2081 BLS OEWS May 2025

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. Excludes “Carpenters” (47-2031), “Carpet Installers” (47-2041), and “Tile and Stone Setters” (47-2044).

National median · BLS
$58,930
▲ +1.36% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$63,600
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
83,080
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$38,460
25th$47,440
Median (50th)$58,930
75th$74,230
90th — top pay$102,010

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

BLS projects employment of drywall and ceiling tile installers to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 6,600 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
102,200 → 104,700
+2,500 jobs
Projected change
+2.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
6,600
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
19.4% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Coordination2.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.9
  • Monitoring2.9
  • Speaking2.9
  • Time Management2.9
  • Active Listening2.8
  • Reading Comprehension2.8
  • Complex Problem Solving2.6
  • Operation and Control2.5
Top knowledge areas
  • Building and Construction4.5
  • Mathematics3.5
  • Mechanical3.3
  • Public Safety and Security3.2
  • Administration and Management3.1
  • Design3.0
  • English Language3.0
  • Engineering and Technology2.7
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office softwareMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordBusiness management softwareConstruction Software Center EasyEstDevWave Estimate WorksJob costing softwareLogic Group Scanner Digitizing SoftwareOn Center Quick BidTurtle Creek Software GoldensealWilhelm Publishing Threshold

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What drywall and ceiling tile installers do

  • 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.
  • Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
  • Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.
Also called
Drywall FinisherDrywall HangerDrywall InstallerDrywall MechanicCeiling InstallerInstallerMetal FramerMetal Stud FramerSheetrock HangerSheetrock Installer
More job titles for this occupation (33)
Acoustical Ceiling InstallerAcoustical ConsultantAcoustical InstallerAcoustical SpecialistDrywall Application SpecialistDrywall ApplicatorDrywall BoardhangerDrywall CarrierDrywall ContractorDrywall Metal Stud WorkerDrywall ProfessionalDrywall SanderDrywall StripperDrywall Technician (Drywall Tech)Drywall WorkerDrywallerMetal FurrerMetal LatherPlaster LatherRock LatherRockboard LatherSheet Rock ApplicatorSheet Rock ApplierSheet Rock FinisherSheet Rock HangerSheet Rock InstallerSheet Rock LayerSheet Rock NailerSheet Rock SanderSheet Rock WorkerSheetrock ApplicatorWire LatherWood Lather

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.