Drywall Labor Cost in New Jersey
At $36.09 an hour, the median installer wage in New Jersey is 27% above the national median of $28.33, the 2nd highest of 49 states. One rung up, Hawaii pays $14.31 more an hour; one rung down, Alaska pays $0.66 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 2nd 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 New Jersey compares
- Closest median wages
- Alaska $35.43, Oregon $35.35 and Washington $35.16
| State | Rank | Median | Against New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1 | $50.40 | $14.31 more |
| New Jersey | 2 | $36.09 | this state |
| Alaska | 3 | $35.43 | $0.66 less |
| Oregon | 4 | $35.35 | $0.74 less |
| Washington | 5 | $35.16 | $0.93 less |
A 12 x 12 room in New Jersey
| Low end, $1.55/sq ft | $818 |
|---|---|
| High end, $3.20/sq ft | $1,690 |
| Alaska | $686 to $1,426 | $132.00 less than New Jersey at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $766 to $1,584 | $52.80 less than New Jersey at the low end |
| Washington | $792 to $1,663 | $26.40 less than New Jersey at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, New Jersey labor for this room is $184.80 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 New Jersey
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $18.26 | $25.81 | $36.09 | $55.42 | $56.83 | $39.08 |
| Installers, yearly | $37,981 | $53,685 | $75,067 | $115,274 | $118,206 | $81,280 |
| US installers | $18.49 | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $49.04 | $30.58 |
Half of the installers in New Jersey earn between $25.81 and $55.42 an hour, for a mean of $81,280 a year. The location quotient of 0.58 means installers hold a smaller share of jobs in New Jersey than nationally, 58% of it. A well-paid top end lifts the mean to $39.08, 8% above the $36.09 median. Pay is spread wide: the top tenth of installer earn $56.83 or more, 3.1 times the $18.26 that caps the bottom tenth. BLS publishes no taper estimate for New Jersey.