Drywall Labor Cost in California
At $31.67 an hour, the median installer wage in California is 12% above the national median of $28.33, the 7th highest of 49 states. One rung up, Massachusetts pays $1.75 more an hour; one rung down, Illinois pays $1.29 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 7th of 49 by median wage
Your estimate
4' x 8' sheets · 10% waste allowance4' x 8' drywall
Area
Materials
Cost breakdown
Quantities include a 10% waste allowance and standard deductions of 21 sq ft per door, 15 sq ft per window and 112 sq ft per garage door. The sheet count comes from laying the board out wall by wall, plus 10% as spare sheets. Round up when in doubt, an extra sheet costs less than a second trip.
How California compares
- Closest median wages
- Illinois $30.38, Missouri $30.09 and Massachusetts $33.42
| State | Rank | Median | Against California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5 | $35.16 | $3.49 more |
| Massachusetts | 6 | $33.42 | $1.75 more |
| California | 7 | $31.67 | this state |
| Illinois | 8 | $30.38 | $1.29 less |
| Missouri | 9 | $30.09 | $1.58 less |
A 12 x 12 room in California
| Low end, $1.40/sq ft | $739 |
|---|---|
| High end, $2.95/sq ft | $1,558 |
| Illinois | $713 to $1,505 | $26.40 less than California at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $660 to $1,399 | $79.20 less than California at the low end |
| Massachusetts | $686 to $1,426 | $52.80 less than California at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, California labor for this room is $105.60 more at the low end, scaled from wages rather than bids (method). Also see the room's sheet count and its paint estimate.
What drywall workers earn in California
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $22.14 | $26.83 | $31.67 | $40.95 | $57.81 | $35.91 |
| Tapers | $22.02 | $28.73 | $35.32 | $42.57 | $55.47 | $36.67 |
| Installers, yearly | $46,051 | $55,806 | $65,874 | $85,176 | $120,245 | $74,680 |
| US installers | $18.49 | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $49.04 | $30.58 |
| US tapers | $21.00 | $25.35 | $32.82 | $42.57 | $51.50 | $34.96 |
Half of the installers in California earn between $26.83 and $40.95 an hour, for a mean of $74,680 a year. With 27,280 installers on payrolls, California has the largest drywall installer workforce of any state. Drywall is a big trade in California: a location quotient of 2.80 means installers hold 2.8 times their national share of jobs. A well-paid top end lifts the mean to $35.91, 13% above the $31.67 median. Pay is spread wide: the top tenth of installer earn $57.81 or more, 2.6 times the $22.14 that caps the bottom tenth. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $35.32 in California, 12% more than installers.