Skilled Wages

Drywall installer salary in North Carolina

Median $21.67 an hour for 1,520 drywall installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$21.67/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Carolina, May data
$45,080/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$15.11 – $28.9310th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,520Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Drywall installer pay in North Carolina: the full range

Wage percentiles, North CarolinaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNorth Carolina: 10th $15.11 · 25th $17.43 · median $21.67 · 75th $24.29 · 90th $28.93North Carolina$21.67$15.11$28.93United 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: North Carolina vs United States, May 2025.

North Carolina ranks 44th of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 43rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.98). 1,520 drywall installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$15.11 – $17.43$31,420 – $36,240roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$17.43 – $24.29$36,240 – $50,530the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$24.29 – $28.93$50,530 – $60,180the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Drywall installer pay by metro in North Carolina

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrWilmington: $27.66Wilmington$27.66Greensboro: $24.29Greensboro$24.29Virginia Beach: $23.52Virginia Beach$23.52Asheville: $22.28Asheville$22.28Charlotte: $22.07Charlotte$22.07Raleigh: $22.07Raleigh$22.07Fayetteville: $21.69Fayetteville$21.69Winston-Salem: $21.41Winston-Salem$21.41
Median hourly wage for drywall installers by metro area in North Carolina, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Wilmington$17.77$27.66$28.69$27.6610028% above
Greensboro$14.80$24.29$26.15$28.9312012% above
Virginia Beach$18.77$23.52$24.02$27.552709% above
Asheville$15.11$22.28$23.09$30.43603% above
Charlotte$16.59$22.07$22.68$28.794402% above
Raleigh$15.39$22.07$22.47$29.463602% above
Fayetteville$14.40$21.69$23.58$32.2650about the same as
Winston-Salem$14.65$21.41$23.27$27.37801% below

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

Drywall installer wages in North Carolina over time

North Carolina, 1999-2025North CarolinaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.33United States$21.67North Carolina
Median hourly wage for drywall installers, North Carolina vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Carolina $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.41$22.05$15.343,410
2000$12.92$24.16$15.804,080
2001$13.36$24.29$15.873,820
2002$14.15$25.32$16.213,260
2003$14.59$25.53$16.192,760
2004$14.24$24.27$16.362,310
2005$13.22$21.79$16.702,660
2006$13.49$21.54$17.383,050
2007$13.78$21.40$17.563,380
2008$13.97$20.89$18.123,190
2009$13.58$20.38$17.882,700
2010$14.07$20.77$17.942,250
2011$14.52$20.78$17.782,080
2012$15.19$21.30$17.891,840
2013$14.50$20.04$17.891,690
2014$15.75$21.42$18.321,660
2015$16.31$22.15$18.851,790
2016$16.61$22.28$19.751,620
2017$17.39$22.84$20.601,660
2018$17.49$22.42$21.032,050
2019$18.11$22.81$21.972,020
2020$18.44$22.94$22.821,770
2021$18.38$21.84$23.091,570
2022$19.98$21.98$24.251,310
2023$23.56$24.89$26.781,300
2024$23.30$23.91$27.951,860
2025$21.67$21.67$28.331,520

In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in North Carolina changed by -2.2% over the last ten years of data and by -5.0% since 2019.

Are there more drywall installer jobs in North Carolina?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 28th of 49 states

BLS counted 1,520 drywall installers in North Carolina in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 12%. 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 North Carolina

+5.2%Projected growth in North Carolina2024–2034, state agency
180Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,340Jobs in 20242,460 projected for 2034
+2.5%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

North Carolina's labor market agency projects the number of drywall installers in the state to change by +5.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,340 to 2,460, with about 180 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,520 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for drywall installers in North Carolina

On federally funded construction in North Carolina, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 7 of the 73 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $40.20 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.44). 54 of the 73 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Alleghany County at $19.90). The market median for the state is $21.67.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NCAlamance: n/aAlexander: $18.66 (survey)Alleghany: $19.90 (survey)Anson: $13.83 (survey)Ashe: $19.90 (survey)Avery: $19.90 (survey)Beaufort: $19.44 (survey)Bertie: $19.44 (survey)Bladen: $19.44 (survey)Brunswick: n/aBuncombe: n/aBurke: $18.66 (survey)Cabarrus: $40.20 (union)Caldwell: $18.66 (survey)Camden: $19.44 (survey)Carteret: $19.44 (survey)Caswell: $19.90 (survey)Catawba: $18.66 (survey)Chatham: n/aCherokee: $19.90 (survey)Chowan: $19.44 (survey)Clay: $19.90 (survey)Cleveland: $19.44 (survey)Columbus: $19.44 (survey)Craven: n/aCumberland: n/aCurrituck: n/aDare: $19.44 (survey)Davidson: $30.33 (survey)Davie: $30.33 (survey)Duplin: $19.44 (survey)Durham: n/aEdgecombe: n/aForsyth: $30.33 (survey)Franklin: n/aGaston: $40.20 (union)Gates: n/aGraham: $19.90 (survey)Granville: $19.90 (survey)Greene: $13.83 (survey)Guilford: $21.66 (survey)Halifax: $19.90 (survey)Harnett: $19.44 (survey)Haywood: n/aHenderson: n/aHertford: $19.44 (survey)Hoke: n/aHyde: $19.44 (survey)Iredell: $40.20 (union)Jackson: $19.90 (survey)Johnston: n/aJones: n/aLee: $19.44 (survey)Lenoir: $19.44 (survey)Lincoln: $40.20 (union)McDowell: $19.90 (survey)Macon: $19.90 (survey)Madison: n/aMartin: $19.44 (survey)Mecklenburg: $40.20 (union)Mitchell: $19.90 (survey)Montgomery: $19.44 (survey)Moore: $19.44 (survey)Nash: n/aNew Hanover: n/aNorthampton: $19.90 (survey)Onslow: n/aOrange: n/aPamlico: n/aPasquotank: $19.44 (survey)Pender: n/aPerquimans: $19.44 (survey)Person: n/aPitt: n/aPolk: $19.90 (survey)Randolph: $21.66 (survey)Richmond: $19.44 (survey)Robeson: $19.44 (survey)Rockingham: $21.66 (survey)Rowan: $40.20 (union)Rutherford: $19.90 (survey)Sampson: $19.44 (survey)Scotland: $19.44 (survey)Stanly: $19.44 (survey)Stokes: $30.33 (survey)Surry: $19.90 (survey)Swain: $19.90 (survey)Transylvania: $19.90 (survey)Tyrrell: $19.44 (survey)Union: $40.20 (union)Vance: $19.90 (survey)Wake: n/aWarren: $19.90 (survey)Washington: $19.44 (survey)Watauga: $19.90 (survey)Wayne: n/aWilkes: $19.90 (survey)Wilson: $19.44 (survey)Yadkin: $30.33 (survey)Yancey: $19.90 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$19.44$19.90$20.96n/asurvey 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)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50/hrCabarrus (Charlotte): market median $22.07, prevailing (union) $40.20, gap +$18.13Cabarrus (Charlotte)+$18.13Davidson (Winston-Salem): market median $21.41, prevailing (survey) $30.33, gap +$8.92Davidson (Winston-Salem)+$8.92Moore (North Carolina): market median $21.67, prevailing (survey) $19.44, gap −$2.23Moore (North Carolina)−$2.23Guilford (Greensboro): market median $24.29, prevailing (survey) $21.66, gap −$2.63Guilford (Greensboro)−$2.63Camden (Virginia Beach): market median $23.52, prevailing (survey) $19.44, gap −$4.08Camden (Virginia Beach)−$4.08
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for drywall installers, metro counties in North Carolina.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CabarrusUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260017
GastonUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260005
IredellUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260007
LincolnUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260017
MecklenburgUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260008
RowanUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260017
UnionUnion CARP0312-003 2025-06-01$29.00$11.20$40.20NC20260017
DavidsonSurvey SUNC2018-021 2023-08-08$21.18$9.15$30.33NC20260124
DavieSurvey SUNC2018-021 2023-08-08$21.18$9.15$30.33NC20260124
ForsythSurvey SUNC2018-004 2023-08-08$21.18$9.15$30.33NC20260004
StokesSurvey SUNC2018-021 2023-08-08$21.18$9.15$30.33NC20260124
YadkinSurvey SUNC2018-021 2023-08-08$21.18$9.15$30.33NC20260124
GuilfordSurvey SUNC2018-006 2023-08-08$18.57$3.09$21.66NC20260006
RandolphSurvey SUNC2018-024 2023-08-08$18.57$3.09$21.66NC20260127
RockinghamSurvey SUNC2018-024 2023-08-08$18.57$3.09$21.66NC20260127

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

Is construction work growing in North Carolina?

296.4kConstruction jobsNorth Carolina, 2026-09
+6.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025296kSep 2026
Construction employment in North Carolina (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Carolina

More on North Carolina

Questions this page answers

How much do drywall installers make in North Carolina?

The median drywall installer in North Carolina earned $21.67 an hour ($45,080 a year) in May 2025, 24% below the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $17.43–$24.29; the top 10% earn more than $28.93.

Where does North Carolina rank for drywall installer pay?

North Carolina ranks 44th of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $21.67 an hour, and 43rd after adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.3, US = 100).

What is the union drywall installer rate in North Carolina?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for drywall installers in 7 counties, with a typical package of $40.20 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many drywall installers work in North Carolina?

BLS counted 1,520 drywall installers in North Carolina in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.58; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is drywall installer work growing in North Carolina?

North Carolina's labor market agency projects +5.2% growth for drywall installers between 2024 and 2034, from 2,340 to 2,460 jobs.

How many drywall installer openings a year are there in North Carolina?

North Carolina projects about 180 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, North Carolina 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: North Carolina labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.