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DrywallPlanner

Drywall Labor Cost in Montana

Installer pay in Montana is close to the national norm: a median of $28.92 an hour is 2% above the US median of $28.33, which places it 17th of 49 states. One rung up, Connecticut pays $0.16 more an hour; one rung down, Maine pays $0.03 less.

  • BLS May 2025 data
  • 17th of 49 by median wage
Median installer wage$28.922% above US $28.33
Rank by median17thof 49 states
Labor per sq ft$1.15+estimate, up to $2.35
Installers on payrolls17043rd most of 49

Room dimensions

Room shape
Length
ft
in
Width
ft
in
Wall height
ft
in

Wall height changes the board layout. Compare 8 ft, 9 ft and 10 ft walls.

Surfaces & board

Sheet size

Openings & waste

21 sq ft each
15 sq ft each
16 x 7 ft, 112 sq ft
%
10% is standard
Cost estimateoptional
$
per 4' x 8' sheet
$
typical $1.20 to $2.50

Your estimate

4' x 8' sheets · 10% waste allowance
21sheets of
4' x 8' drywall

Area

Gross wall area416.0 sq ft
Less openings- 51.0 sq ft
Net wall area365.0 sq ft
Ceiling area168.0 sq ft
Total drywall area533.0 sq ft
With 10% waste586.3 sq ft

Materials

Joint compound85.1 lb2 × 4.5 gal box
Joint tape225 linear ft1 × 250 ft roll
Drywall screws575about 3 lb

Cost breakdown

Drywall board (21 sheets)$336
Finishing materials$65.00compound, tape, screws
Labor (hang & finish)$933
Estimated total$1,334

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 Montana compares

Closest median wages
Maine $28.89, Wisconsin $28.83 and Connecticut $29.08
15th to 19th of 49 by median installer wage
StateRankMedianAgainst Montana
Pennsylvania15$29.40$0.48 more
Connecticut16$29.08$0.16 more
Montana17$28.92this state
Maine18$28.89$0.03 less
Wisconsin19$28.83$0.09 less

A 12 x 12 room in Montana

384 sq ft of 8 ft walls plus 144 of ceiling
Low end, $1.15/sq ft$607
High end, $2.35/sq ft$1,241
The same room in the states with the closest median wages
Maine$581 to $1,241$26.40 less than Montana at the low end
Wisconsin$607 to $1,241same low end as Montana
Connecticut$607 to $1,267same low end as Montana

Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Montana labor for this room is $26.40 less 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 Montana

Hourly wage percentiles, Montana, BLS May 2025
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90thMean
Installers$22.05$23.34$28.92$31.63$38.10$28.81
Installers, yearly$45,864$48,547$60,154$65,790$79,248$59,910
US installers$18.49$22.81$28.33$35.69$49.04$30.58

Half of the installers in Montana earn between $23.34 and $31.63 an hour, for a mean of $59,910 a year. The location quotient of 0.63 means installers hold a smaller share of jobs in Montana than nationally, 63% of it. The mean, $28.81, and the median, $28.92, sit within a fraction of a percent of each other. From the 10th percentile, $22.05, to the 90th, $38.10, installer pay spans $16.05 an hour, 53% of the $30.55 national spread. BLS publishes no taper estimate for Montana.

Frequently asked questions

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in Montana earn a mean of $28.81 an hour ($59,910 a year) and a median of $28.92, 2% above the US median of $28.33. The middle half earn $23.34 to $31.63.