How much does a drywall installer make in South Dakota?
In South Dakota, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $24.40 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $23.49 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$24.40
$23.49
$30.58
$6.18 less an hour
$50,752
By the hour, the week and the year in South Dakota
At 40 hours a week, the average of $24.40 an hour comes to $976.00 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $50,752 a year, and the median of $23.49 to $48,859 a year.
In South Dakota, the average is $0.91 above the median (3.9%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $23.49 an hour or less.
How does South Dakota compare?
The average in South Dakota is $6.18 below the national average of $30.58 (20.2% less), about $12,854 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, South Dakota ranks 34 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
South Dakota and its Census division, West North Central
By average wage, South Dakota ranks 5 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 South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $32.31 | $30.09 | +$7.91 |
| Minnesota | $31.54 | $29.46 | +$7.14 |
| Iowa | $25.59 | $24.53 | +$1.19 |
| Nebraska | $24.64 | $23.38 | +$0.24 |
| South Dakota | $24.40 | $23.49 | |
| North Dakota | $22.53 | $21.69 | -$1.87 |
| Kansas | $21.89 | $19.18 | -$2.51 |
This trade and the others in South Dakota
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in South Dakota. Among them, the average runs from $15.38 (Cleaning) to $24.40 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $24.40 | $23.49 | |
| Concrete | $23.46 | $22.67 | -$0.94 |
| Painting | $22.94 | $23.15 | -$1.46 |
| Landscaping | $17.60 | $17.01 | -$6.80 |
| Cleaning | $15.38 | $14.40 | -$9.02 |
Against the minimum wage in South Dakota
The minimum wage in South Dakota is $11.85 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $23.49, is $11.64 above it, 98.2% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $24,648 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 South Dakota, $23.49 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $187.92 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $560.29; 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.