How much does a drywall installer make in Missouri?
In Missouri, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $32.31 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $30.09 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$32.31
$30.09
$30.58
$1.73 more an hour
$67,205
By the hour, the week and the year in Missouri
At 40 hours a week, the average of $32.31 an hour comes to $1,292.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $67,205 a year, and the median of $30.09 to $62,587 a year.
In Missouri, the average is $2.22 above the median (7.4%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $30.09 an hour or less.
How does Missouri compare?
The average in Missouri is $1.73 above the national average of $30.58 (5.7% more), about $3,598 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Missouri ranks 10 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Missouri and its Census division, West North Central
Of the 7 states of the division with data for this trade, Missouri pays the highest average, $32.31; next comes Minnesota with $31.54.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $32.31 | $30.09 | |
| Minnesota | $31.54 | $29.46 | -$0.77 |
| Iowa | $25.59 | $24.53 | -$6.72 |
| Nebraska | $24.64 | $23.38 | -$7.67 |
| South Dakota | $24.40 | $23.49 | -$7.91 |
| North Dakota | $22.53 | $21.69 | -$9.78 |
| Kansas | $21.89 | $19.18 | -$10.42 |
This trade and the others in Missouri
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in Missouri. Among them, the average runs from $16.41 (Cleaning) to $32.31 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $32.31 | $30.09 | |
| Concrete | $30.84 | $29.51 | -$1.47 |
| Painting | $28.58 | $27.65 | -$3.73 |
| Landscaping | $19.56 | $18.52 | -$12.75 |
| Cleaning | $16.41 | $16.19 | -$15.90 |
Against the minimum wage in Missouri
The minimum wage in Missouri is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $30.09, is $15.09 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 Missouri, $30.09 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $240.72 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $627.08; 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.