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Career overview · SOC 47-2081

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

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.

Also called: Ceiling Installer · Dry Wall Installer · Drywall Finisher · Drywall Hanger · Drywall Installer · Drywall Mechanic

Median pay (national)
$58,140
$37,810–$101,380 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
82,900
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.2%
~7,700 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $101,380 versus $37,810 at the bottom 10% — 2.7x. The median of $58,140 leaves roughly 74% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.2% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 7,700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 49 states with released data, Hawaii pays the most for this role (median $104,670, +80% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $24,910 — a 320% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Speaking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Mathematics
  • Writing
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • 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.
  • Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
  • Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.
  • 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.
  • Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives.
  • Hang dry lines to wall moldings to guide positioning of main runners.
  • Install blanket insulation between studs and tack plastic moisture barriers over insulation.
  • Apply or mount acoustical tile or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings or walls of buildings to reduce reflection of sound or to decorate rooms.

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Windows
  • Business management software
  • Construction Software Center EasyEst
  • DevWave Estimate Works
  • Job costing software
  • Logic Group Scanner Digitizing Software
  • On Center Quick Bid
  • Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
  • Wilhelm Publishing Threshold
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word

Knowledge areas

  • Building and Construction
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Administration and Management
  • Design
  • English Language
  • Engineering and Technology