How much does a drywall installer make in New York?
In New York, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $33.14 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $29.46 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$33.14
$29.46
$30.58
$2.56 more an hour
$68,931
By the hour, the week and the year in New York
At 40 hours a week, the average of $33.14 an hour comes to $1,325.60 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $68,931 a year, and the median of $29.46 to $61,277 a year.
In New York, the average is $3.68 above the median (12.5%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $29.46 an hour or less.
How does New York compare?
The average in New York is $2.56 above the national average of $30.58 (8.4% more), about $5,325 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, New York ranks 7 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
New York and its Census division, Middle Atlantic
By average wage, New York ranks 2 of the 3 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is New Jersey, $39.08, and the lowest Pennsylvania, $29.80.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $39.08 | $36.09 | +$5.94 |
| New York | $33.14 | $29.46 | |
| Pennsylvania | $29.80 | $29.40 | -$3.34 |
This trade and the others in New York
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in New York. Among them, the average runs from $21.93 (Landscaping) to $34.92 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $34.92 | $30.79 | +$1.78 |
| Drywall | $33.14 | $29.46 | |
| Painting | $32.72 | $28.64 | -$0.42 |
| Cleaning | $23.88 | $20.17 | -$9.26 |
| Landscaping | $21.93 | $21.56 | -$11.21 |
Against the minimum wage in New York
The minimum wage in New York is $17.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $29.46, is $12.46 above it, 73.3% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $35,360 a year.
That is the rate of New York City, Long Island and Westchester; the rest of the state pays $16.00.
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 York, $29.46 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $235.68 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $620.71; 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.