Drywall Installers and Finishers

The annual earnings of drywall workers vary widely. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median hourly wage of drywall installers was $26.78, or $55,700 annually, for full-time employment in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17.66 per hour ($36,730 annually for full-time work), and the highest 10 percent earned more than $49.67 an hour ($103,310 for full-time work). Fifty percent of drywall workers earned between $45,860 and $71,780. Those workers who have managerial duties or their own business may make even more. Additionally, union workers typically receive higher earnings than those who are not members of a union. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) reports that the average pay for an IUPAT drywall finisher is 12 percent above the national average.

Apprentices generally receive about 40 to 50 percent of the rate earned by journeymen workers, with the rate gradually rising as they obtain experience.

Some drywallers are paid according to the hours they work; others are paid based on how much work they complete. For example, a contractor might pay installers and finishers five to six cents for every square foot of panel installed. The average worker is capable of installing 35 to 40 panels a day, when each panel measures 4 feet by 12 feet.

Drywall workers usually work a standard workweek of 35 to 40 hours. Construction schedules sometimes require installers and finishers to work longer hours or during evenings or on weekends. Workers who are paid by the hour receive extra pay at these times.

Benefits for full-time workers include vacation and sick time, health, and sometimes dental, insurance. Self-employed drywall installers and finishers must provide their own benefits.