Drywall Labor Cost in South Carolina
South Carolina is one of the lower-paying states for drywall work: its median installer wage of $21.80 an hour is 23% under the national median, 8th lowest of 49. One rung up, Oklahoma pays $0.35 more an hour; one rung down, North Dakota pays $0.11 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 42nd 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 South Carolina compares
- Closest median wages
- North Dakota $21.69, North Carolina $21.67 and Oklahoma $22.15
| State | Rank | Median | Against South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 40 | $22.65 | $0.85 more |
| Oklahoma | 41 | $22.15 | $0.35 more |
| South Carolina | 42 | $21.80 | this state |
| North Dakota | 43 | $21.69 | $0.11 less |
| North Carolina | 44 | $21.67 | $0.13 less |
A 12 x 12 room in South Carolina
| Low end, $0.90/sq ft | $475 |
|---|---|
| High end, $1.90/sq ft | $1,003 |
| North Dakota | $475 to $977 | same low end as South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $449 to $924 | $26.40 less than South Carolina at the low end |
| Oklahoma | $449 to $950 | $26.40 less than South Carolina at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, South Carolina labor for this room is $158.40 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 South Carolina
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $15.55 | $18.36 | $21.80 | $25.56 | $32.98 | $23.28 |
| Installers, yearly | $32,344 | $38,189 | $45,344 | $53,165 | $68,598 | $48,410 |
| US installers | $18.49 | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $49.04 | $30.58 |
Half of the installers in South Carolina earn between $18.36 and $25.56 an hour, for a mean of $48,410 a year. Installers are a thin slice of the workforce in South Carolina, with a location quotient of 0.28: their share of jobs is 28% of the national share. The mean, $23.28, and the median, $21.80, sit within 7% of each other. From the 10th percentile, $15.55, to the 90th, $32.98, installer pay spans $17.43 an hour, 57% of the $30.55 national spread. BLS publishes no taper estimate for South Carolina.