Drywall Labor Cost in Oregon
At $35.35 an hour, the median installer wage in Oregon is 25% above the national median of $28.33, the 4th highest of 49 states. One rung up, Alaska pays $0.08 more an hour; one rung down, Washington pays $0.19 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 4th 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 Oregon compares
- Closest median wages
- Alaska $35.43, Washington $35.16 and New Jersey $36.09
| State | Rank | Median | Against Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 2 | $36.09 | $0.74 more |
| Alaska | 3 | $35.43 | $0.08 more |
| Oregon | 4 | $35.35 | this state |
| Washington | 5 | $35.16 | $0.19 less |
| Massachusetts | 6 | $33.42 | $1.93 less |
A 12 x 12 room in Oregon
| Low end, $1.45/sq ft | $766 |
|---|---|
| High end, $3.00/sq ft | $1,584 |
| Alaska | $686 to $1,426 | $79.20 less than Oregon at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $792 to $1,663 | $26.40 more than Oregon at the low end |
| New Jersey | $818 to $1,690 | $52.80 more than Oregon at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Oregon labor for this room is $132.00 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 Oregon
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $17.53 | $24.36 | $35.35 | $50.94 | $55.13 | $36.43 |
| Tapers | $23.38 | $28.00 | $34.35 | $45.59 | $48.50 | $37.01 |
| Installers, yearly | $36,462 | $50,669 | $73,528 | $105,955 | $114,670 | $75,770 |
| 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 Oregon earn between $24.36 and $50.94 an hour, for a mean of $75,770 a year. Drywall is a big trade in Oregon: a location quotient of 1.60 means installers hold 60% more than their national share of jobs. The mean, $36.43, and the median, $35.35, sit within 3% of each other. Pay is spread wide: the top tenth of installer earn $55.13 or more, 3.1 times the $17.53 that caps the bottom tenth. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $34.35 in Oregon, 3% less than installers.