Construction and extraction
Drywall and ceiling tile installers
Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.
Median pay
$58,930
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,600
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Drywall and ceiling tile installers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to drywall and ceiling tile installers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Drywall and ceiling tile installers: 16% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
- Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
- Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
- Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
- Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
- Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
- Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
- Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.
Also called: Ceiling Installer · Drywall Finisher · Drywall Hanger · Drywall Installer · Drywall Mechanic · Installer · Metal Framer · Metal Stud Framer
Outlook and AI
Drywall and ceiling tile installers held 102,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 104,700 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Taper
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Sheet metal worker
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Carpenter
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Roofer
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Tile and stone setters
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers vs. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers