How much does a drywall installer make in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $21.66 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $21.67 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$21.66
$21.67
$30.58
$8.92 less an hour
$45,053
By the hour, the week and the year in North Carolina
At 40 hours a week, the average of $21.66 an hour comes to $866.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $45,053 a year, and the median of $21.67 to $45,074 a year.
In North Carolina, the average is $0.01 below the median (0.0%): a group of lower wages pulls the average down, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $21.67 an hour or more.
How does North Carolina compare?
The average in North Carolina is $8.92 below the national average of $30.58 (29.2% less), about $18,554 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, North Carolina ranks 47 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
North Carolina and its Census division, South Atlantic
Of the 7 states of the division with data for this trade, North Carolina pays the lowest average, $21.66; the next is South Carolina with $23.28.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $27.53 | $28.01 | +$5.87 |
| Virginia | $26.59 | $26.84 | +$4.93 |
| Maryland | $26.50 | $26.29 | +$4.84 |
| Delaware | $24.45 | $24.12 | +$2.79 |
| Florida | $23.51 | $23.54 | +$1.85 |
| South Carolina | $23.28 | $21.80 | +$1.62 |
| North Carolina | $21.66 | $21.67 |
This trade and the others in North Carolina
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in North Carolina. Among them, the average runs from $16.07 (Cleaning) to $22.70 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $22.70 | $22.49 | +$1.04 |
| Drywall | $21.66 | $21.67 | |
| Painting | $21.59 | $21.21 | -$0.07 |
| Landscaping | $19.04 | $18.22 | -$2.62 |
| Cleaning | $16.07 | $15.05 | -$5.59 |
Against the minimum wage in North Carolina
In North Carolina most employers pay the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $21.67, is $14.42 above it, 3.0 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $15,080 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 North Carolina, $21.67 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $173.36 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $541.88; 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.