How much does a drywall installer make in New Mexico?
In New Mexico, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $27.47 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $25.91 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$27.47
$25.91
$30.58
$3.11 less an hour
$57,138
By the hour, the week and the year in New Mexico
At 40 hours a week, the average of $27.47 an hour comes to $1,098.80 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $57,138 a year, and the median of $25.91 to $53,893 a year.
In New Mexico, the average is $1.56 above the median (6.0%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $25.91 an hour or less.
How does New Mexico compare?
The average in New Mexico is $3.11 below the national average of $30.58 (10.2% less), about $6,469 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, New Mexico ranks 24 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
New Mexico and its Census division, Mountain
By average wage, New Mexico ranks 4 of the 8 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Colorado, $29.78, and the lowest Wyoming, $22.51.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $29.78 | $29.70 | +$2.31 |
| Montana | $28.81 | $28.92 | +$1.34 |
| Nevada | $28.58 | $25.13 | +$1.11 |
| New Mexico | $27.47 | $25.91 | |
| Utah | $25.35 | $24.53 | -$2.12 |
| Arizona | $25.27 | $24.18 | -$2.20 |
| Idaho | $23.19 | $21.05 | -$4.28 |
| Wyoming | $22.51 | $21.15 | -$4.96 |
This trade and the others in New Mexico
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in New Mexico. Among them, the average runs from $15.46 (Cleaning) to $27.47 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $27.47 | $25.91 | |
| Concrete | $25.41 | $23.67 | -$2.06 |
| Painting | $23.74 | $22.23 | -$3.73 |
| Landscaping | $19.07 | $18.06 | -$8.40 |
| Cleaning | $15.46 | $14.65 | -$12.01 |
Against the minimum wage in New Mexico
The minimum wage in New Mexico is $12.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $25.91, is $13.91 above it, 2.2 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $24,960 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 New Mexico, $25.91 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $207.28 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $584.79; 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.