Construction and Extraction Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 47-2081

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

The published band from $38,460 to $102,010 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($110K) , Structural Iron and Steel Workers ($63K) , Electricians ($63K) , Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators ($70K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 47-2081 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements
  2. 2. Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and markin…
  3. 3. Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws
  4. 4. Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or ot…
  5. 5. Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents
  6. 6. Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools
  7. 7. Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels
  8. 8. Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks
  9. 9. Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways
  10. 10. Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adj…
  11. 11. Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives
  12. 12. Suspend angle iron grids or channel irons from ceilings, using wire

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 47-2081 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.0 ; lead knowledge Building and Construction. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.0
  2. 2. Speaking 2.9
  3. 3. Monitoring 2.9
  4. 4. Coordination 2.9
  5. 5. Judgment and Decision Making 2.9
  6. 6. Time Management 2.9
  7. 7. Reading Comprehension 2.8
  8. 8. Active Listening 2.8

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Building and Construction 4.5
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.5
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.3
  4. 4. Public Safety and Security 3.2
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.1
  6. 6. Design 3.0
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$38,460 to $102,010
median $58,930 · ~2.7× spread
$59K
National median
↑ +4%
Growth 2024-2034
7,700
Annual openings
83,080
Estimated US jobs
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $110K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Top Paying States for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

1. Massachusetts $69,500
2. Missouri $62,580
3. Oregon $73,530
4. California $65,880
5. Alaska $73,690
6. Illinois $63,180
7. Washington $73,130
8. New Hampshire $61,960
9. Hawaii $104,830
10. New Jersey $75,080

Other Construction and Extraction Occupations titles

  1. 1. Electricians $63,190
  2. 2. Structural Iron and Steel Workers $62,780
  3. 3. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators $70,070
  4. 4. Pile Driver Operators $73,300
  5. 5. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $109,910
  6. 6. Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other $70,130

The OEWS band for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers runs from $38,460 (10th) to $102,010 (90th), about 2.7× wide, with median $58,930. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect +4% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 7,700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Massachusetts at $69,500. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers at $109,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers pay-rank #24 in Construction and Extraction Occupations

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers sits at pay-rank #24 of 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers is unusually wide, so the state map and peer comparison carry more signal than the median alone.

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 47-2081

Massachusetts · top state for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

$70K published median

Missouri · #2 state pay

$63K · behind Massachusetts

Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers · $110K

Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Lower-pay peer beside Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers · $63K

Compare Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers mid-table among Construction and Extraction Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #24 of 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers ($59K), Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas ($59K), Insulation Workers, Mechanical ($58K), Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas ($58K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do drywall and ceiling tile installers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers. Leading ones include: 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 markin…; 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 ot…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for drywall and ceiling tile installers? ▼
For SOC 47-2081, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.0), Speaking (2.9), Monitoring (2.9), Coordination (2.9). Knowledge areas emphasize Building and Construction, Mathematics, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $38,460 and the 90th at $102,010 for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (2.7× spread). The national median is $58,930. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers is +4%. Projected annual openings: about 7,700. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers? ▼
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers? ▼
Massachusetts ($69,500), Missouri ($62,580), Oregon ($73,530) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 47-2081. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics