How much does a drywall installer make in Washington?
In Washington, drywall and ceiling tile installers earned an average of $38.68 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $35.16 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$38.68
$35.16
$30.58
$8.10 more an hour
$80,454
By the hour, the week and the year in Washington
At 40 hours a week, the average of $38.68 an hour comes to $1,547.20 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $80,454 a year, and the median of $35.16 to $73,133 a year.
In Washington, the average is $3.52 above the median (10.0%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $35.16 an hour or less.
How does Washington compare?
The average in Washington is $8.10 above the national average of $30.58 (26.5% more), about $16,848 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Washington ranks 3 of 49 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $28.33 an hour.
Washington and its Census division, Pacific
By average wage, Washington ranks 2 of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is Hawaii, $46.38, and the lowest Alaska, $32.75.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46.38 | $50.40 | +$7.70 |
| Washington | $38.68 | $35.16 | |
| Oregon | $36.43 | $35.35 | -$2.25 |
| California | $35.91 | $31.67 | -$2.77 |
| Alaska | $32.75 | $35.43 | -$5.93 |
This trade and the others in Washington
Of the 5 trades this site prices, drywall and ceiling tile installers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in Washington. Among them, the average runs from $20.61 (Cleaning) to $39.37 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against drywall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $39.37 | $37.27 | +$0.69 |
| Drywall | $38.68 | $35.16 | |
| Painting | $29.28 | $28.68 | -$9.40 |
| Landscaping | $23.62 | $22.57 | -$15.06 |
| Cleaning | $20.61 | $20.28 | -$18.07 |
Against the minimum wage in Washington
The minimum wage in Washington is $17.13 an hour for most employers. The median of drywall and ceiling tile installers, $35.16, is $18.03 above it, 2.1 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $35,630 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 Washington, $35.16 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the drywall calculator cost $281.28 in wages. With its $255.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $678.40; 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.