Drywall installer salary in Missouri
Median $30.09 an hour for 550 drywall installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2000 and the state's own outlook.
Drywall installer pay in Missouri: the full range
Missouri ranks 9th of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 5th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.14). 550 drywall installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.27 – $25.36 | $46,310 – $52,760 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $25.36 – $38.74 | $52,760 – $80,570 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $38.74 – $44.12 | $80,570 – $91,780 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Drywall installer pay by metro in Missouri
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $22.27 | $28.97 | $30.46 | $44.44 | 250 | 4% below |
| Springfield | $18.91 | $27.19 | $30.69 | $38.52 | 60 | 10% below |
| Kansas City | $17.25 | $22.46 | $24.28 | $44.12 | 530 | 25% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Drywall installer wages in Missouri over time
Table
| Year | Missouri $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $18.51 | $34.61 | $15.80 | 2,500 |
| 2001 | $19.51 | $35.47 | $15.87 | 2,430 |
| 2002 | $19.60 | $35.08 | $16.21 | 2,280 |
| 2003 | $18.35 | $32.11 | $16.19 | 2,200 |
| 2004 | $18.70 | $31.87 | $16.36 | 1,920 |
| 2005 | $19.62 | $32.34 | $16.70 | 1,820 |
| 2006 | $21.67 | $34.61 | $17.38 | 1,850 |
| 2007 | $21.88 | $33.97 | $17.56 | 2,220 |
| 2008 | $20.93 | $31.30 | $18.12 | 1,920 |
| 2009 | $21.36 | $32.05 | $17.88 | 1,670 |
| 2010 | $26.32 | $38.86 | $17.94 | 1,330 |
| 2011 | $29.12 | $41.68 | $17.78 | 1,230 |
| 2012 | $27.61 | $38.72 | $17.89 | 1,280 |
| 2013 | $21.81 | $30.14 | $17.89 | 1,260 |
| 2014 | $20.81 | $28.30 | $18.32 | 1,320 |
| 2015 | $19.47 | $26.45 | $18.85 | 1,060 |
| 2016 | $18.21 | $24.43 | $19.75 | 770 |
| 2017 | $18.98 | $24.93 | $20.60 | 850 |
| 2018 | $19.37 | $24.83 | $21.03 | — |
| 2019 | $23.98 | $30.20 | $21.97 | 670 |
| 2020 | $28.57 | $35.54 | $22.82 | 730 |
| 2021 | $22.24 | $26.42 | $23.09 | 1,220 |
| 2022 | $23.44 | $25.79 | $24.25 | 720 |
| 2023 | $27.22 | $28.76 | $26.78 | 630 |
| 2024 | $28.39 | $29.14 | $27.95 | 480 |
| 2025 | $30.09 | $30.09 | $28.33 | 550 |
In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in Missouri changed by +13.8% over the last ten years of data and by -0.4% since 2019.
Are there more drywall installer jobs in Missouri?
BLS counted 550 drywall installers in Missouri in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 23%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for drywall installers in Missouri
Missouri's labor market agency projects the number of drywall installers in the state to change by +4.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 780 to 820, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 550 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for drywall installers in Missouri
On federally funded construction in Missouri, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 29 of the 29 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $52.11 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $30.09.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson | Union CARP0005-014 2024-05-01 | $42.06 | $22.40 | $64.46 | MO20260012 |
| Crawford | Union PAIN1185-009 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260056 |
| Dade | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Dent | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Douglas | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Gasconade | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Henry | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Hickory | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Laclede | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Maries | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Miller | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Montgomery | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Morgan | Union PAIN1185-010 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260033 |
| Ozark | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Phelps | Union PAIN1185-012 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260018 |
| St. Clair | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Stone | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Taney | Union PAIN1185-011 2025-04-01 | $34.90 | $17.21 | $52.11 | MO20260032 |
| Camden | Union PAIN1185-005 2025-04-01 | $33.90 | $17.21 | $51.11 | MO20260005 |
| Pulaski | Union PAIN1185-005 2025-04-01 | $33.90 | $17.21 | $51.11 | MO20260019 |
| Lawrence | Union CARP0311-004 2024-05-01 | $29.50 | $21.50 | $51.00 | MO20260013 |
| Cooper | Union PAIN0003-015 2019-04-01 | $25.39 | $17.76 | $43.15 | MO20260010 |
| Pettis | Union PAIN0003-015 2019-04-01 | $25.39 | $17.76 | $43.15 | MO20260017 |
| Barry | Union PAIN2015-004 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260029 |
| Barton | Union PAIN2015-004 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260029 |
| Benton | Union PAIN2015-004 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260029 |
| Cedar | Union PAIN2015-005 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260008 |
| Vernon | Union PAIN2015-005 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260026 |
| Wright | Union PAIN2015-005 2024-05-01 | $25.79 | $15.35 | $41.14 | MO20260027 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Missouri prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Missouri?
Keep comparing
Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Missouri
More on Missouri
Questions this page answers
How much do drywall installers make in Missouri?
The median drywall installer in Missouri earned $30.09 an hour ($62,580 a year) in May 2025, 6% above the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $25.36–$38.74; the top 10% earn more than $44.12.
Where does Missouri rank for drywall installer pay?
Missouri ranks 9th of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $30.09 an hour, and 5th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).
What is the union drywall installer rate in Missouri?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for drywall installers in 29 counties, with a typical package of $52.11 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many drywall installers work in Missouri?
BLS counted 550 drywall installers in Missouri in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.35; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is drywall installer work growing in Missouri?
Missouri's labor market agency projects +4.2% growth for drywall installers between 2024 and 2034, from 780 to 820 jobs.
How many drywall installer openings a year are there in Missouri?
Missouri projects about 60 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, Missouri 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: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.