Drywall Labor Cost in New York
New York sits in the upper half of the ranking, 13th of 49 (tied with Minnesota), with installers earning a median of $29.46 an hour, 4% more than the US median of $28.33. Minnesota shares that median, but New York has the higher mean, $33.14 against $31.54.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 13th 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 York compares
- Closest median wages
- Minnesota $29.46, Pennsylvania $29.40 and Ohio $29.53
| State | Rank | Median | Against New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 12 | $29.53 | $0.07 more |
| Minnesota | 13 | $29.46 | same |
| New York | 13 | $29.46 | this state |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | $29.40 | $0.06 less |
| Connecticut | 16 | $29.08 | $0.38 less |
A 12 x 12 room in New York
| Low end, $1.30/sq ft | $686 |
|---|---|
| High end, $2.70/sq ft | $1,426 |
| Minnesota | $660 to $1,373 | $26.40 less than New York at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $607 to $1,294 | $79.20 less than New York at the low end |
| Ohio | $607 to $1,267 | $79.20 less than New York at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, New York labor for this room is $52.80 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 York
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $22.53 | $25.22 | $29.46 | $36.34 | $56.95 | $33.14 |
| Tapers | $25.43 | $32.13 | $37.40 | $48.57 | $52.24 | $39.46 |
| Installers, yearly | $46,862 | $52,458 | $61,277 | $75,587 | $118,456 | $68,930 |
| 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 New York earn between $25.22 and $36.34 an hour, for a mean of $68,930 a year. With 2,840 installers on payrolls, New York has the 5th largest drywall installer workforce of any state. The location quotient of 0.55 means installers hold a smaller share of jobs in New York than nationally, 55% of it. A well-paid top end lifts the mean to $33.14, 12% above the $29.46 median. Pay is spread wide: the top tenth of installer earn $56.95 or more, 2.5 times the $22.53 that caps the bottom tenth. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $37.40 in New York, 27% more than installers.