How much does a drywall installer make in Colorado?
In Colorado, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $29.78 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $29.70 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$29.78
$29.70
$30.58
$0.80 less an hour
$61,942
By the hour, the week and the year in Colorado
At 40 hours a week, the average of $29.78 an hour comes to $1,191.20 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $61,942 a year, and the median of $29.70 to $61,776 a year.
In Colorado, the average is $0.08 above the median (0.3%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $29.70 an hour or less.
How does Colorado compare?
The average in Colorado is $0.80 below the national average of $30.58 (2.6% less), about $1,664 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Colorado ranks 14 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Colorado and its Census division, Mountain
Of the 8 states of the division with data for this trade, Colorado pays the highest average, $29.78; next comes Montana with $28.81.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $29.78 | $29.70 | |
| Montana | $28.81 | $28.92 | -$0.97 |
| Nevada | $28.58 | $25.13 | -$1.20 |
| New Mexico | $27.47 | $25.91 | -$2.31 |
| Utah | $25.35 | $24.53 | -$4.43 |
| Arizona | $25.27 | $24.18 | -$4.51 |
| Idaho | $23.19 | $21.05 | -$6.59 |
| Wyoming | $22.51 | $21.15 | -$7.27 |
This trade and the others in Colorado
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in Colorado. Among them, the average runs from $18.99 (Cleaning) to $29.78 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $29.78 | $29.70 | |
| Concrete | $29.01 | $29.18 | -$0.77 |
| Painting | $27.10 | $25.47 | -$2.68 |
| Landscaping | $22.52 | $22.00 | -$7.26 |
| Cleaning | $18.99 | $18.06 | -$10.79 |
Against the minimum wage in Colorado
The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $29.70, is $14.54 above it, 95.9% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $31,533 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 Colorado, $29.70 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $237.60 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $623.14; 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.