How much does a drywall installer make in Ohio?
In Ohio, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $29.36 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $29.53 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$29.36
$29.53
$30.58
$1.22 less an hour
$61,069
By the hour, the week and the year in Ohio
At 40 hours a week, the average of $29.36 an hour comes to $1,174.40 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $61,069 a year, and the median of $29.53 to $61,422 a year.
In Ohio, the average is $0.17 below the median (0.6%): a group of lower wages pulls the average down, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $29.53 an hour or more.
How does Ohio compare?
The average in Ohio is $1.22 below the national average of $30.58 (4.0% less), about $2,538 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Ohio ranks 15 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Ohio and its Census division, East North Central
By average wage, Ohio ranks 2 of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Illinois, $34.95, and the lowest Indiana, $26.15.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $34.95 | $30.38 | +$5.59 |
| Ohio | $29.36 | $29.53 | |
| Wisconsin | $28.86 | $28.83 | -$0.50 |
| Michigan | $28.14 | $28.10 | -$1.22 |
| Indiana | $26.15 | $23.95 | -$3.21 |
This trade and the others in Ohio
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Ohio. Among them, the average runs from $15.68 (Cleaning) to $30.67 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $30.67 | $30.28 | +$1.31 |
| Drywall | $29.36 | $29.53 | |
| Painting | $26.21 | $23.77 | -$3.15 |
| Landscaping | $19.18 | $18.38 | -$10.18 |
| Cleaning | $15.68 | $15.47 | -$13.68 |
Against the minimum wage in Ohio
The minimum wage in Ohio is $11.00 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $29.53, is $18.53 above it, 2.7 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $22,880 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 Ohio, $29.53 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $236.24 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $621.41; 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.