Drywall Labor Cost in Missouri
At $30.09 an hour, the median installer wage in Missouri is 6% above the national median of $28.33, the 9th highest of 49 states. One rung up, Illinois pays $0.29 more an hour; one rung down, New Hampshire pays $0.30 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 9th 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 Missouri compares
- Closest median wages
- Illinois $30.38, New Hampshire $29.79 and Colorado $29.70
| State | Rank | Median | Against Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 7 | $31.67 | $1.58 more |
| Illinois | 8 | $30.38 | $0.29 more |
| Missouri | 9 | $30.09 | this state |
| New Hampshire | 10 | $29.79 | $0.30 less |
| Colorado | 11 | $29.70 | $0.39 less |
A 12 x 12 room in Missouri
| Low end, $1.25/sq ft | $660 |
|---|---|
| High end, $2.65/sq ft | $1,399 |
| Illinois | $713 to $1,505 | $52.80 more than Missouri at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $660 to $1,399 | same low end as Missouri |
| Colorado | $607 to $1,294 | $52.80 less than Missouri at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Missouri labor for this room is $26.40 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 Missouri
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $22.27 | $25.36 | $30.09 | $38.74 | $44.12 | $32.31 |
| Tapers | $23.19 | $24.48 | $30.30 | $39.61 | $40.06 | $31.75 |
| Installers, yearly | $46,322 | $52,749 | $62,587 | $80,579 | $91,770 | $67,200 |
| 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 Missouri earn between $25.36 and $38.74 an hour, for a mean of $67,200 a year. Installers are a thin slice of the workforce in Missouri, with a location quotient of 0.35: their share of jobs is 35% of the national share. The mean, $32.31, and the median, $30.09, sit within 7% of each other. From the 10th percentile, $22.27, to the 90th, $44.12, installer pay spans $21.85 an hour, 72% of the $30.55 national spread. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $30.30 in Missouri, 1% more than installers.