Drywall installer salary in North Dakota
Median $21.69 an hour for 130 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 North Dakota: the full range
North Dakota ranks 43rd of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.37). 130 drywall installers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.5× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.95 – $21.13 | $37,340 – $43,940 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $21.13 – $23.31 | $43,940 – $48,490 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $23.31 – $27.65 | $48,490 – $57,510 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Drywall installer pay by metro in North Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $17.74 | $23.05 | $27.88 | 70 | 6% above |
Drywall installer wages in North Dakota over time
Table
| Year | North Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $16.12 | $30.14 | $15.80 | 30 |
| 2001 | $20.92 | $38.03 | $15.87 | — |
| 2002 | $19.77 | $35.38 | $16.21 | 150 |
| 2003 | $18.97 | $33.19 | $16.19 | 180 |
| 2004 | $16.86 | $28.73 | $16.36 | 210 |
| 2005 | $12.30 | $20.28 | $16.70 | 230 |
| 2006 | $14.04 | $22.42 | $17.38 | 230 |
| 2007 | $14.98 | $23.26 | $17.56 | 320 |
| 2008 | $15.66 | $23.42 | $18.12 | 260 |
| 2009 | $16.74 | $25.12 | $17.88 | 260 |
| 2010 | $17.02 | $25.13 | $17.94 | 190 |
| 2011 | $16.50 | $23.62 | $17.78 | 190 |
| 2012 | $17.43 | $24.44 | $17.89 | 280 |
| 2013 | $17.65 | $24.39 | $17.89 | 270 |
| 2014 | $18.32 | $24.91 | $18.32 | 250 |
| 2015 | $17.80 | $24.18 | $18.85 | 200 |
| 2016 | $18.64 | $25.00 | $19.75 | 280 |
| 2017 | $21.39 | $28.09 | $20.60 | — |
| 2018 | $23.08 | $29.59 | $21.03 | 250 |
| 2019 | $23.85 | $30.03 | $21.97 | — |
| 2020 | $21.37 | $26.58 | $22.82 | 110 |
| 2021 | $21.06 | $25.02 | $23.09 | 100 |
| 2022 | $16.89 | $18.58 | $24.25 | 50 |
| 2025 | $21.69 | $21.69 | $28.33 | 130 |
In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in North Dakota changed by -10.3% over the last ten years of data and by -27.8% since 2019.
Are there more drywall installer jobs in North Dakota?
BLS counted 130 drywall installers in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 35%. 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 Dakota
North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of drywall installers in the state to change by +4.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 70 to 70, with about 0 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.5% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 130 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: North Dakota 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 Dakota
On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 2 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.75). 2 of the 2 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Cass County at $21.36). The market median for the state is $21.69.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks | Survey SUND2012-003 2014-08-18 | $21.48 | $6.66 | $28.14 | ND20260014 |
| Cass | Survey SUND2012-002 2014-08-18 | $21.36 | $0.00 | $21.36 | ND20260013 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the North Dakota prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in North Dakota?
Keep comparing
Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in North Dakota
More on North Dakota
Questions this page answers
How much do drywall installers make in North Dakota?
The median drywall installer in North Dakota earned $21.69 an hour ($45,110 a year) in May 2025, 23% below the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $21.13–$23.31; the top 10% earn more than $27.65.
Where does North Dakota rank for drywall installer pay?
North Dakota ranks 43rd of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $21.69 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).
What is the union drywall installer rate in North Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a drywall installer classification for most North Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many drywall installers work in North Dakota?
BLS counted 130 drywall installers in North Dakota in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.55; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is drywall installer work growing in North Dakota?
North Dakota's labor market agency projects +4.5% growth for drywall installers between 2024 and 2034, from 70 to 70 jobs.
How many drywall installer openings a year are there in North Dakota?
North Dakota projects about 0 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 Dakota 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 Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.