Drywall Installer Salary (2025)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2081 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Drywall Installer salaries range from $45,404 to $73,060 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Drywall Installer Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $73,060 | $47,178 – $109,200 | $38,453 | D | 5,061 |
| New York, NY | $68,811 | $43,130 – $98,684 | $36,797 | F | 7,546 |
| Seattle, WA | $67,358 | $41,009 – $96,214 | $45,207 | D | 3,193 |
| Boston, MA | $65,704 | $39,316 – $100,993 | $43,226 | D | 6,354 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $62,727 | $38,741 – $95,605 | $37,787 | D | 7,994 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $60,087 | $37,209 – $87,049 | $56,686 | D | 2,932 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,512 | $38,700 – $86,847 | $51,750 | D | 3,489 |
| Chicago, IL | $57,753 | $34,032 – $89,023 | $53,975 | D | 2,854 |
| Detroit, MI | $57,398 | $36,960 – $87,079 | $64,492 | C | 2,096 |
| Denver, CO | $57,066 | $35,732 – $88,239 | $44,583 | D | 3,941 |
| Portland, OR | $56,810 | $35,752 – $86,091 | $43,700 | D | 3,341 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $55,886 | $35,816 – $83,318 | $53,737 | D | 2,591 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $55,570 | $35,317 – $83,481 | $60,402 | D | 2,885 |
| St. Louis, MO | $52,557 | $31,897 – $80,403 | $58,397 | D | 2,603 |
| Dallas, TX | $51,525 | $32,478 – $76,231 | $50,515 | D | 4,060 |
| Charlotte, NC | $51,121 | $32,142 – $73,260 | $52,164 | D | 2,065 |
| Columbus, OH | $50,891 | $31,784 – $74,062 | $54,722 | D | 1,748 |
| New Orleans, LA | $50,771 | $32,407 – $72,768 | $53,443 | D | 1,918 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $50,595 | $30,846 – $77,579 | $52,703 | D | 2,825 |
| Houston, TX | $50,245 | $30,186 – $73,021 | $52,339 | D | 2,640 |
| Raleigh, NC | $49,707 | $31,929 – $74,672 | $49,707 | D | 1,945 |
| Miami, FL | $48,988 | $31,732 – $76,044 | $40,154 | D | 3,681 |
| Atlanta, GA | $48,666 | $30,163 – $71,940 | $45,911 | D | 4,138 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $48,567 | $29,157 – $68,623 | $53,370 | D | 2,527 |
| Kansas City, MO | $48,197 | $28,528 – $73,436 | $51,273 | D | 2,390 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,536 | $30,178 – $68,717 | $52,818 | D | 2,160 |
| Nashville, TN | $47,487 | $28,757 – $70,901 | $46,104 | D | 3,892 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $47,336 | $29,608 – $70,010 | $45,515 | D | 3,489 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $47,064 | $30,050 – $70,816 | $45,693 | D | 3,390 |
| Tampa, FL | $45,404 | $27,757 – $68,145 | $44,954 | D | 3,660 |
About Drywall Installer Pay
Drywall Installers earn a national median salary of $54,480 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $73,060 median, while Tampa offers the lowest at $45,404.
Becoming a drywall installer typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $47,178, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $109,200 or more. With 4% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for drywall installers is $54,480 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $45,404 to $73,060 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for drywall installers at $73,060. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and 4% wage growth over 5 years, drywall installer offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 103,408 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a drywall installer typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $47,178 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.