Drywall installer salary in Montana
Median $28.92 an hour for 170 drywall installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Drywall installer pay in Montana: the full range
Montana ranks 17th of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 10th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.57). 170 drywall installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $22.05 – $23.34 | $45,870 – $48,540 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.34 – $31.63 | $48,540 – $65,790 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $31.63 – $38.10 | $65,790 – $79,240 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Drywall installer pay by metro in Montana
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula | $19.09 | $24.67 | $37.64 | 50 | 15% below |
Drywall installer wages in Montana over time
Table
| Year | Montana $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $16.57 | $32.02 | $15.34 | 80 |
| 2000 | $14.83 | $27.73 | $15.80 | — |
| 2001 | $15.68 | $28.50 | $15.87 | 250 |
| 2002 | $16.47 | $29.47 | $16.21 | 190 |
| 2003 | $16.54 | $28.94 | $16.19 | 190 |
| 2004 | $13.31 | $22.68 | $16.36 | 90 |
| 2005 | $13.76 | $22.68 | $16.70 | — |
| 2006 | $11.33 | $18.09 | $17.38 | 270 |
| 2007 | $13.21 | $20.51 | $17.56 | 190 |
| 2008 | $13.09 | $19.57 | $18.12 | 160 |
| 2009 | $20.59 | $30.90 | $17.88 | — |
| 2010 | $16.33 | $24.11 | $17.94 | 80 |
| 2011 | $16.68 | $23.87 | $17.78 | 110 |
| 2012 | $16.25 | $22.79 | $17.89 | 120 |
| 2013 | $17.59 | $24.31 | $17.89 | 160 |
| 2014 | $17.98 | $24.45 | $18.32 | 210 |
| 2015 | $18.41 | $25.01 | $18.85 | 280 |
| 2016 | $16.65 | $22.33 | $19.75 | 240 |
| 2017 | $16.18 | $21.25 | $20.60 | 200 |
| 2018 | $18.28 | $23.44 | $21.03 | 190 |
| 2019 | $18.87 | $23.76 | $21.97 | 170 |
| 2020 | $19.13 | $23.80 | $22.82 | 190 |
| 2021 | $17.55 | $20.85 | $23.09 | 230 |
| 2022 | $19.45 | $21.40 | $24.25 | 120 |
| 2023 | $20.63 | $21.80 | $26.78 | 190 |
| 2024 | $22.13 | $22.71 | $27.95 | 150 |
| 2025 | $28.92 | $28.92 | $28.33 | 170 |
In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in Montana changed by +15.6% over the last ten years of data and by +21.7% since 2019.
Are there more drywall installer jobs in Montana?
BLS counted 170 drywall installers in Montana in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. 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 Montana
Montana's labor market agency projects the number of drywall installers in the state to change by +15.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 190 to 220, with about 20 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 170 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Montana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for drywall installers in Montana
On federally funded construction in Montana, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 10 of the 44 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $47.07 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $22.69). 34 of the 44 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Big Horn County at $22.69). The market median for the state is $28.92.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | Union CARP0082-008 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.05 | $47.10 | MT20260042 |
| Park | Union CARP0082-008 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.05 | $47.10 | MT20260045 |
| Broadwater | Union CARP0082-003 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260027 |
| Flathead | Union CARP0028-010 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260032 |
| Granite | Union CARP0028-009 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260036 |
| Jefferson | Union CARP0082-003 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260038 |
| Meagher | Union CARP0082-006 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260059 |
| Powell | Union CARP0082-010 2025-06-01 | $32.05 | $15.02 | $47.07 | MT20260048 |
| Beaverhead | Union CARP0082-001 2024-06-01 | $30.24 | $14.33 | $44.57 | MT20260025 |
| Deer Lodge | Union CARP0082-001 2024-06-01 | $30.24 | $14.33 | $44.57 | MT20260030 |
| Lewis and Clark | Survey SUMT2011-016 2011-01-04 | $24.14 | $0.00 | $24.14 | MT20260040 |
| Big Horn | Survey SUMT2011-032 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260056 |
| Blaine | Survey SUMT2011-002 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260026 |
| Carter | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Chouteau | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Custer | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Daniels | Survey SUMT2011-004 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260028 |
| Dawson | Survey SUMT2011-005 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260029 |
| Fallon | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Garfield | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Glacier | Survey SUMT2011-010 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260034 |
| Golden Valley | Survey SUMT2011-011 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260035 |
| Hill | Survey SUMT2011-013 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260037 |
| Judith Basin | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Liberty | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| McCone | Survey SUMT2011-019 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260043 |
| Musselshell | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Petroleum | Survey SUMT2011-022 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260046 |
| Phillips | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Pondera | Survey SUMT2011-023 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260047 |
| Powder River | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Prairie | Survey SUMT2011-032 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260056 |
| Richland | Survey SUMT2011-025 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260049 |
| Roosevelt | Survey SUMT2011-026 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260050 |
| Rosebud | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Sheridan | Survey SUMT2011-027 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260051 |
| Stillwater | Survey SUMT2011-029 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260053 |
| Sweet Grass | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Teton | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Toole | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Treasure | Survey SUMT2011-030 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260054 |
| Valley | Survey SUMT2011-033 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260057 |
| Wheatland | Survey SUMT2011-034 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260058 |
| Wibaux | Survey SUMT2011-031 2011-01-04 | $22.69 | $0.00 | $22.69 | MT20260055 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Montana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Montana?
Keep comparing
Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Montana
More on Montana
Questions this page answers
How much do drywall installers make in Montana?
The median drywall installer in Montana earned $28.92 an hour ($60,140 a year) in May 2025, 2% above the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $23.34–$31.63; the top 10% earn more than $38.10.
Where does Montana rank for drywall installer pay?
Montana ranks 17th of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $28.92 an hour, and 10th after adjusting for Montana's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.6, US = 100).
What is the union drywall installer rate in Montana?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for drywall installers in 10 counties, with a typical package of $47.07 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many drywall installers work in Montana?
BLS counted 170 drywall installers in Montana in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is drywall installer work growing in Montana?
Montana's labor market agency projects +15.4% growth for drywall installers between 2024 and 2034, from 190 to 220 jobs.
How many drywall installer openings a year are there in Montana?
Montana projects about 20 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, Montana 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: Montana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.