How much does a drywall installer make in Alaska?
In Alaska, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $32.75 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $35.43 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$32.75
$35.43
$30.58
$2.17 more an hour
$68,120
By the hour, the week and the year in Alaska
At 40 hours a week, the average of $32.75 an hour comes to $1,310.00 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $68,120 a year, and the median of $35.43 to $73,694 a year.
In Alaska, the average is $2.68 below the median (7.6%): a group of lower wages pulls the average down, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $35.43 an hour or more.
How does Alaska compare?
The average in Alaska is $2.17 above the national average of $30.58 (7.1% more), about $4,514 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Alaska ranks 9 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Alaska and its Census division, Pacific
Of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade, Alaska pays the lowest average, $32.75; the next is California with $35.91.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46.38 | $50.40 | +$13.63 |
| Washington | $38.68 | $35.16 | +$5.93 |
| Oregon | $36.43 | $35.35 | +$3.68 |
| California | $35.91 | $31.67 | +$3.16 |
| Alaska | $32.75 | $35.43 |
This trade and the others in Alaska
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Alaska. Among them, the average runs from $19.03 (Cleaning) to $48.08 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $48.08 | $44.69 | +$15.33 |
| Drywall | $32.75 | $35.43 | |
| Painting | $30.87 | $29.32 | -$1.88 |
| Landscaping | $22.73 | $22.93 | -$10.02 |
| Cleaning | $19.03 | $17.97 | -$13.72 |
Against the minimum wage in Alaska
The minimum wage in Alaska is $14.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $35.43, is $21.43 above it, 2.5 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $29,120 a year.
From wage to rate
This is what an employer pays an employee, not what a contractor bills. Your rate also has to cover your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools), your profit, and the hours you cannot bill.
If you pay a helper the median wage in Alaska, $35.43 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $283.44 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $681.12; at the national median, $28.33, the same job comes to $609.27. A wage is only the floor: your own rate also pays your taxes, your unbilled hours and your business.