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Drywall Labor Cost in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is one of the lower-paying states for drywall work: its median installer wage of $22.65 an hour is 20% under the national median, 10th lowest of 49. One rung up, Louisiana pays $0.15 more an hour; one rung down, Oklahoma pays $0.50 less.

  • BLS May 2025 data
  • 40th of 49 by median wage

By · Updated

Median installer wage$22.6520% below US $28.33
Rank by median40thof 49 states
Labor per sq ft$1.10+estimate, up to $2.25
Installers on payrolls44033rd 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)$879
Estimated total$1,280

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 Rhode Island compares

Closest median wages
Louisiana $22.80, Tennessee $22.84 and Texas $22.88
38th to 42nd of 49 by median installer wage
StateRankMedianAgainst Rhode Island
Tennessee38$22.84$0.19 more
Louisiana39$22.80$0.15 more
Rhode Island40$22.65this state
Oklahoma41$22.15$0.50 less
South Carolina42$21.80$0.85 less

A 12 x 12 room in Rhode Island

384 sq ft of 8 ft walls plus 144 of ceiling
Low end, $1.10/sq ft$581
High end, $2.25/sq ft$1,188
The same room in the states with the closest median wages
Louisiana$475 to $1,003$105.60 less than Rhode Island at the low end
Tennessee$502 to $1,030$79.20 less than Rhode Island at the low end
Texas$502 to $1,030$79.20 less than Rhode Island at the low end

Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Rhode Island labor for this room is $52.80 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 Rhode Island

Hourly wage percentiles, Rhode Island, BLS May 2025
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90thMean
Installers$18.31$20.01$22.65$35.13$38.22$27.58
Installers, yearly$38,085$41,621$47,112$73,070$79,498$57,360
US installers$18.49$22.81$28.33$35.69$49.04$30.58

Half of the installers in Rhode Island earn between $20.01 and $35.13 an hour, for a mean of $57,360 a year. Drywall is a big trade in Rhode Island: a location quotient of 1.66 means installers hold 66% more than their national share of jobs. A well-paid top end lifts the mean to $27.58, 22% above the $22.65 median. From the 10th percentile, $18.31, to the 90th, $38.22, installer pay spans $19.91 an hour, 65% of the $30.55 national spread. BLS publishes no taper estimate for Rhode Island.

Frequently asked questions

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in Rhode Island earn a mean of $27.58 an hour ($57,360 a year) and a median of $22.65, 20% below the US median of $28.33. The middle half earn $20.01 to $35.13.