How much does a drywall installer make in Illinois?
In Illinois, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $34.95 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $30.38 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$34.95
$30.38
$30.58
$4.37 more an hour
$72,696
By the hour, the week and the year in Illinois
At 40 hours a week, the average of $34.95 an hour comes to $1,398.00 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $72,696 a year, and the median of $30.38 to $63,190 a year.
In Illinois, the average is $4.57 above the median (15.0%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $30.38 an hour or less.
How does Illinois compare?
The average in Illinois is $4.37 above the national average of $30.58 (14.3% more), about $9,090 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Illinois ranks 6 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Illinois and its Census division, East North Central
Of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade, Illinois pays the highest average, $34.95; next comes Ohio with $29.36.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $34.95 | $30.38 | |
| Ohio | $29.36 | $29.53 | -$5.59 |
| Wisconsin | $28.86 | $28.83 | -$6.09 |
| Michigan | $28.14 | $28.10 | -$6.81 |
| Indiana | $26.15 | $23.95 | -$8.80 |
This trade and the others in Illinois
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Illinois. Among them, the average runs from $18.73 (Cleaning) to $37.40 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $37.40 | $37.58 | +$2.45 |
| Drywall | $34.95 | $30.38 | |
| Painting | $33.48 | $29.45 | -$1.47 |
| Landscaping | $21.54 | $21.05 | -$13.41 |
| Cleaning | $18.73 | $17.49 | -$16.22 |
Against the minimum wage in Illinois
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $30.38, is $15.38 above it, 2.0 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $31,200 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 Illinois, $30.38 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $243.04 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $630.02; 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.