How much does a drywall installer make in Nebraska?
In Nebraska, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $24.64 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $23.38 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$24.64
$23.38
$30.58
$5.94 less an hour
$51,251
By the hour, the week and the year in Nebraska
At 40 hours a week, the average of $24.64 an hour comes to $985.60 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $51,251 a year, and the median of $23.38 to $48,630 a year.
In Nebraska, the average is $1.26 above the median (5.4%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $23.38 an hour or less.
How does Nebraska compare?
The average in Nebraska is $5.94 below the national average of $30.58 (19.4% less), about $12,355 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Nebraska ranks 32 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Nebraska and its Census division, West North Central
By average wage, Nebraska ranks 4 of the 7 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Missouri, $32.31, and the lowest Kansas, $21.89.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $32.31 | $30.09 | +$7.67 |
| Minnesota | $31.54 | $29.46 | +$6.90 |
| Iowa | $25.59 | $24.53 | +$0.95 |
| Nebraska | $24.64 | $23.38 | |
| South Dakota | $24.40 | $23.49 | -$0.24 |
| North Dakota | $22.53 | $21.69 | -$2.11 |
| Kansas | $21.89 | $19.18 | -$2.75 |
This trade and the others in Nebraska
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Nebraska. Among them, the average runs from $16.45 (Cleaning) to $25.17 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $25.17 | $23.80 | +$0.53 |
| Drywall | $24.64 | $23.38 | |
| Painting | $22.40 | $22.73 | -$2.24 |
| Landscaping | $20.36 | $18.82 | -$4.28 |
| Cleaning | $16.45 | $16.43 | -$8.19 |
Against the minimum wage in Nebraska
The minimum wage in Nebraska is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $23.38, is $8.38 above it, 55.9% more than 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 Nebraska, $23.38 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $187.04 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $559.18; 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.