Drywall Labor Cost in Washington
At $35.16 an hour, the median installer wage in Washington is 24% above the national median of $28.33, the 5th highest of 49 states. One rung up, Oregon pays $0.19 more an hour; one rung down, Massachusetts pays $1.74 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 5th 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 Washington compares
- Closest median wages
- Oregon $35.35, Alaska $35.43 and New Jersey $36.09
| State | Rank | Median | Against Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 3 | $35.43 | $0.27 more |
| Oregon | 4 | $35.35 | $0.19 more |
| Washington | 5 | $35.16 | this state |
| Massachusetts | 6 | $33.42 | $1.74 less |
| California | 7 | $31.67 | $3.49 less |
A 12 x 12 room in Washington
| Low end, $1.50/sq ft | $792 |
|---|---|
| High end, $3.15/sq ft | $1,663 |
| Oregon | $766 to $1,584 | $26.40 less than Washington at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $686 to $1,426 | $105.60 less than Washington at the low end |
| New Jersey | $818 to $1,690 | $26.40 more than Washington at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Washington labor for this room is $158.40 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 Washington
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $24.21 | $30.15 | $35.16 | $48.45 | $61.52 | $38.68 |
| Tapers | $24.35 | $29.15 | $38.00 | $40.86 | $49.94 | $37.05 |
| Installers, yearly | $50,357 | $62,712 | $73,133 | $100,776 | $127,962 | $80,450 |
| 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 Washington earn between $30.15 and $48.45 an hour, for a mean of $80,450 a year. A location quotient of 1.41 puts installers 41% above their national share of jobs in Washington. A well-paid top end lifts the mean to $38.68, 10% above the $35.16 median. Pay is spread wide: the top tenth of installer earn $61.52 or more, 2.5 times the $24.21 that caps the bottom tenth. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $38.00 in Washington, 8% more than installers.