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DrywallPlanner

Drywall Labor Cost in Ohio

Ohio sits in the upper half of the ranking, 12th of 49, with installers earning a median of $29.53 an hour, 4% more than the US median of $28.33. One rung up, Colorado pays $0.17 more an hour; one rung down, Minnesota pays $0.07 less.

  • BLS May 2025 data
  • 12th of 49 by median wage
Median installer wage$29.534% above US $28.33
Rank by median12thof 49 states
Labor per sq ft$1.15+estimate, up to $2.40
Installers on payrolls1,68011th 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)$959
Estimated total$1,360

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 Ohio compares

Closest median wages
Minnesota $29.46, New York $29.46 and Pennsylvania $29.40
10th to 13th of 49 by median installer wage
StateRankMedianAgainst Ohio
New Hampshire10$29.79$0.26 more
Colorado11$29.70$0.17 more
Ohio12$29.53this state
Minnesota13$29.46$0.07 less
New York13$29.46$0.07 less

A 12 x 12 room in Ohio

384 sq ft of 8 ft walls plus 144 of ceiling
Low end, $1.15/sq ft$607
High end, $2.40/sq ft$1,267
The same room in the states with the closest median wages
Minnesota$660 to $1,373$52.80 more than Ohio at the low end
New York$686 to $1,426$79.20 more than Ohio at the low end
Pennsylvania$607 to $1,294same low end as Ohio

Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Ohio 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 Ohio

Hourly wage percentiles, Ohio, BLS May 2025
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90thMean
Installers$20.39$23.65$29.53$34.11$35.77$29.36
Tapers$30.91$33.30$35.50$36.93$46.72$36.32
Installers, yearly$42,411$49,192$61,422$70,949$74,402$61,060
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 Ohio earn between $23.65 and $34.11 an hour, for a mean of $61,060 a year. The location quotient of 0.57 means installers hold a smaller share of jobs in Ohio than nationally, 57% of it. The mean, $29.36, and the median, $29.53, sit within 1% of each other. From the 10th percentile, $20.39, to the 90th, $35.77, installer pay spans $15.38 an hour, 50% of the $30.55 national spread. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $35.50 in Ohio, 20% more than installers.

Frequently asked questions

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in Ohio earn a mean of $29.36 an hour ($61,060 a year) and a median of $29.53, 4% above the US median of $28.33. The middle half earn $23.65 to $34.11.