How much does a drywall installer make in Michigan?
In Michigan, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $28.14 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $28.10 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$28.14
$28.10
$30.58
$2.44 less an hour
$58,531
By the hour, the week and the year in Michigan
At 40 hours a week, the average of $28.14 an hour comes to $1,125.60 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $58,531 a year, and the median of $28.10 to $58,448 a year.
In Michigan, the average is $0.04 above the median (0.1%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $28.10 an hour or less.
How does Michigan compare?
The average in Michigan is $2.44 below the national average of $30.58 (8.0% less), about $5,075 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Michigan ranks 21 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Michigan and its Census division, East North Central
By average wage, Michigan ranks 4 of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Illinois, $34.95, and the lowest Indiana, $26.15.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $34.95 | $30.38 | +$6.81 |
| Ohio | $29.36 | $29.53 | +$1.22 |
| Wisconsin | $28.86 | $28.83 | +$0.72 |
| Michigan | $28.14 | $28.10 | |
| Indiana | $26.15 | $23.95 | -$1.99 |
This trade and the others in Michigan
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Michigan. Among them, the average runs from $16.36 (Cleaning) to $28.21 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $28.21 | $28.78 | +$0.07 |
| Drywall | $28.14 | $28.10 | |
| Painting | $26.88 | $24.35 | -$1.26 |
| Landscaping | $19.49 | $18.33 | -$8.65 |
| Cleaning | $16.36 | $16.66 | -$11.78 |
Against the minimum wage in Michigan
The minimum wage in Michigan is $13.73 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $28.10, is $14.37 above it, 2.0 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $28,558 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 Michigan, $28.10 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $224.80 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $606.95; 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.