How much does a drywall installer make in Virginia?
In Virginia, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $26.59 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $26.84 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$26.59
$26.84
$30.58
$3.99 less an hour
$55,307
By the hour, the week and the year in Virginia
At 40 hours a week, the average of $26.59 an hour comes to $1,063.60 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $55,307 a year, and the median of $26.84 to $55,827 a year.
In Virginia, the average is $0.25 below the median (0.9%): a group of lower wages pulls the average down, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $26.84 an hour or more.
How does Virginia compare?
The average in Virginia is $3.99 below the national average of $30.58 (13.0% less), about $8,299 less a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Virginia ranks 26 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Virginia and its Census division, South Atlantic
By average wage, Virginia ranks 2 of the 7 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Georgia, $27.53, and the lowest North Carolina, $21.66.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $27.53 | $28.01 | +$0.94 |
| Virginia | $26.59 | $26.84 | |
| Maryland | $26.50 | $26.29 | -$0.09 |
| Delaware | $24.45 | $24.12 | -$2.14 |
| Florida | $23.51 | $23.54 | -$3.08 |
| South Carolina | $23.28 | $21.80 | -$3.31 |
| North Carolina | $21.66 | $21.67 | -$4.93 |
This trade and the others in Virginia
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in Virginia. Among them, the average runs from $16.59 (Cleaning) to $26.59 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $26.59 | $26.84 | |
| Concrete | $25.43 | $24.49 | -$1.16 |
| Painting | $23.61 | $22.82 | -$2.98 |
| Landscaping | $19.60 | $18.46 | -$6.99 |
| Cleaning | $16.59 | $16.26 | -$10.00 |
Against the minimum wage in Virginia
The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.77 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $26.84, is $14.07 above it, 2.1 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $26,562 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 Virginia, $26.84 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $214.72 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $594.19; 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.