Skilled Wages

Drywall installer salary in California

Median $31.67 an hour for 27,280 drywall installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$31.67/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$65,880/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.14 – $57.8110th to 90th percentilehourly range
27,280Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Drywall installer pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.14 · 25th $26.83 · median $31.67 · 75th $40.95 · 90th $57.81California$31.67$22.14$57.81United States: 10th $18.49 · 25th $22.81 · median $28.33 · 75th $35.69 · 90th $49.04United States$28.33
Hourly wage percentiles for drywall installers: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 7th of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 19th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.61). 27,280 drywall installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.14 – $26.83$46,050 – $55,810roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$26.83 – $40.95$55,810 – $85,180the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.95 – $57.81$85,180 – $120,240the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Drywall installer pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrNapa: $40.58Napa$40.58Santa Rosa: $39.74Santa Rosa$39.74San Francisco: $39.50San Francisco$39.50San Jose: $38.19San Jose$38.19El Centro: $37.51El Centro$37.51San Diego: $36.68San Diego$36.68Santa Cruz: $35.93Santa Cruz$35.93Salinas: $35.41Salinas$35.41Stockton: $35.35Stockton$35.35San Luis Obispo: $32.24San Luis Obispo$32.24Modesto: $31.62Modesto$31.62Santa Maria: $30.95Santa Maria$30.95
Median hourly wage for drywall installers by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Napa$23.98$40.58$36.04$62.425028% above
Santa Rosa$27.88$39.74$36.86$61.5370025% above
San Francisco$27.89$39.50$34.17$64.842,51025% above
San Jose$28.94$38.19$34.59$64.801,96021% above
El Centro$18.15$37.51$39.40$37.899018% above
San Diego$23.27$36.68$32.78$54.863,22016% above
Santa Cruz$22.52$35.93$32.69$40.2112013% above
Salinas$23.17$35.41$32.49$44.1416012% above
Stockton$23.43$35.35$33.63$49.3945012% above
San Luis Obispo$22.73$32.24$29.69$54.311802% above
Modesto$24.00$31.62$30.37$51.45400about the same as
Santa Maria$22.32$30.95$28.45$47.944402% below
Oxnard$22.56$30.65$27.74$51.026503% below
Sacramento$22.60$30.55$28.63$54.792,5004% below
Merced$21.69$30.32$30.84$36.93804% below
Los Angeles$22.05$30.19$26.58$57.887,7105% below
Fresno$22.28$29.94$29.30$57.288005% below
Redding$22.31$29.75$29.54$36.461006% below
Riverside$18.80$29.53$27.75$48.863,6407% below
Chico$21.51$29.52$29.17$46.88607% below
Yuba City$23.58$29.31$28.13$37.66707% below
Visalia$18.27$22.40$22.44$35.2330029% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Drywall installer wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$31.67California$28.33United States
Median hourly wage for drywall installers, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.71$36.16$15.3424,890
2000$19.33$36.14$15.8026,200
2001$19.09$34.70$15.8728,940
2002$19.99$35.77$16.2125,510
2003$19.93$34.87$16.1927,440
2004$20.45$34.85$16.3628,550
2005$20.53$33.84$16.7034,640
2006$21.48$34.30$17.3838,140
2007$22.04$34.22$17.5635,530
2008$22.93$34.29$18.1231,860
2009$23.47$35.22$17.8823,500
2010$23.45$34.62$17.9418,470
2011$23.35$33.42$17.7815,660
2012$23.71$33.25$17.8916,220
2013$24.36$33.67$17.8918,070
2014$24.47$33.28$18.3220,310
2015$24.40$33.14$18.8521,230
2016$25.46$34.15$19.7523,100
2017$26.06$34.23$20.6027,080
2018$26.78$34.33$21.0329,190
2019$26.57$33.46$21.9731,430
2020$27.03$33.62$22.8230,520
2021$29.34$34.86$23.0929,820
2022$29.75$32.73$24.2530,330
2023$30.96$32.71$26.7830,920
2024$31.67$32.50$27.9527,350
2025$31.67$31.67$28.3327,280

In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in California changed by -4.4% over the last ten years of data and by -5.3% since 2019.

Are there more drywall installer jobs in California?

-13.2%Jobs since 201931,430 then, 27,280 in 2025
+28.5%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 2.8× the US share, 3rd of 49 states

Since 1999, the number of drywall installers counted in California has changed by +9.6%, against -29.8% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -13.2%.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200200020052010201520202025110California70United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199924,890100100
200026,200105100
200128,940116103
200225,51010294
200327,44011095
200428,55011596
200534,640139107
200638,140153119
200735,530143116
200831,860128109
200923,5009487
201018,4707470
201115,6606364
201216,2206564
201318,0707368
201420,3108272
201521,2308575
201623,1009379
201727,08010982
201829,19011786
201931,43012687
202030,52012384
202129,82012082
202230,33012277
202330,92012477
202427,35011070
202527,28011070

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for drywall installers in California

+5.0%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
2,590Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
34,000Jobs in 202435,700 projected for 2034
+2.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of drywall installers in the state to change by +5.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 34,000 to 35,700, with about 2,590 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 27,280 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for drywall installers in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $90.92 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $26.48). 6 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $24.62). The market median for the state is $31.67.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $96.45 (union)Alpine: $90.92 (union)Amador: $24.62 (survey)Butte: $90.92 (union)Calaveras: $96.45 (union)Colusa: $90.92 (union)Contra Costa: $96.45 (union)Del Norte: $26.48 (survey)El Dorado: $90.92 (union)Fresno: $96.45 (union)Glenn: $90.92 (union)Humboldt: $26.48 (survey)Imperial: $32.72 (union)Inyo: $32.72 (union)Kern: $32.72 (union)Kings: $96.45 (union)Lake: $26.48 (survey)Lassen: $90.92 (union)Los Angeles: $32.72 (union)Madera: $96.45 (union)Marin: $90.92 (union)Mariposa: $96.45 (union)Mendocino: $26.48 (survey)Merced: $96.45 (union)Modoc: $90.92 (union)Mono: $32.72 (union)Monterey: $96.45 (union)Napa: $90.92 (union)Nevada: $90.92 (union)Orange: $32.72 (union)Placer: $90.92 (union)Plumas: $90.92 (union)Riverside: $32.72 (union)Sacramento: $90.92 (union)San Benito: $96.45 (union)San Bernardino: $32.72 (union)San Diego: $33.63 (union)San Francisco: $96.45 (union)San Joaquin: $96.45 (union)San Luis Obispo: $32.72 (union)San Mateo: $96.45 (union)Santa Barbara: $32.72 (union)Santa Clara: $96.45 (union)Santa Cruz: $96.45 (union)Shasta: $90.92 (union)Sierra: $90.92 (union)Siskiyou: $90.92 (union)Solano: $90.92 (union)Sonoma: $90.92 (union)Stanislaus: $96.45 (union)Sutter: $90.92 (union)Tehama: $90.92 (union)Trinity: $90.92 (union)Tulare: $13.08 (survey)Tuolumne: $96.45 (union)Ventura: $32.72 (union)Yolo: $90.92 (union)Yuba: $90.92 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$32.72$90.92survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for drywall installers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$40$60$80$100$120/hrFresno (Fresno): market median $29.94, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$66.51Fresno (Fresno)+$66.51Merced (Merced): market median $30.32, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$66.13Merced (Merced)+$66.13Stanislaus (Modesto): market median $31.62, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$64.83Stanislaus (Modesto)+$64.83Kings (California): market median $31.67, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$64.78Kings (California)+$64.78Sutter (Yuba City): market median $29.31, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$61.61Sutter (Yuba City)+$61.61Butte (Chico): market median $29.52, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$61.40Butte (Chico)+$61.40Shasta (Redding): market median $29.75, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$61.17Shasta (Redding)+$61.17San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $35.35, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$61.10San Joaquin (Stockton)+$61.10Monterey (Salinas): market median $35.41, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$61.04Monterey (Salinas)+$61.04Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $35.93, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$60.52Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$60.52El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $30.55, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$60.37El Dorado (Sacramento)+$60.37San Benito (San Jose): market median $38.19, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$58.26San Benito (San Jose)+$58.26Alameda (San Francisco): market median $39.50, prevailing (union) $96.45, gap +$56.95Alameda (San Francisco)+$56.95Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $39.74, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$51.18Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$51.18Napa (Napa): market median $40.58, prevailing (union) $90.92, gap +$50.34Napa (Napa)+$50.34Riverside (Riverside): market median $29.53, prevailing (union) $32.72, gap +$3.19Riverside (Riverside)+$3.19Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $30.19, prevailing (union) $32.72, gap +$2.53Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$2.53San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $32.24, prevailing (union) $32.72, gap +$0.48San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$0.48San Diego (San Diego): market median $36.68, prevailing (union) $33.63, gap −$3.05San Diego (San Diego)−$3.05Imperial (El Centro): market median $37.51, prevailing (union) $32.72, gap −$4.79Imperial (El Centro)−$4.79
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for drywall installers, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlamedaUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
CalaverasUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
Contra CostaUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
FresnoUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
KingsUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
MaderaUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
MariposaUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
MercedUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
MontereyUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
San BenitoUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
San FranciscoUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
San JoaquinUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
San MateoUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
Santa ClaraUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018
Santa CruzUnion PAIN0016-003 2025-01-01$63.76$32.69$96.45CA20260018

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do drywall installers make in California?

The median drywall installer in California earned $31.67 an hour ($65,880 a year) in May 2025, 12% above the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $26.83–$40.95; the top 10% earn more than $57.81.

Where does California rank for drywall installer pay?

California ranks 7th of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $31.67 an hour, and 19th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union drywall installer rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for drywall installers in 52 counties, with a typical package of $90.92 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many drywall installers work in California?

BLS counted 27,280 drywall installers in California in May 2025, 1.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.80; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is drywall installer work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of drywall installers in California went from 21,230 in 2015 to 27,280 in 2025, +28.5%, and -13.2% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +5.0% growth for drywall installers between 2024 and 2034, from 34,000 to 35,700 jobs.

How many drywall installer openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 2,590 openings a year for drywall installers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 6,600 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2081. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.