Skilled Wages

Drywall installer salary in Pennsylvania

Median $29.40 an hour for 1,690 drywall and ceiling tile installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$29.40/hrMedian hourly wagePennsylvania, May data
$61,160/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.95 – $37.4910th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,690Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Drywall installer pay in Pennsylvania: the full range

Wage percentiles, PennsylvaniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrPennsylvania: 10th $18.95 · 25th $23.28 · median $29.40 · 75th $34.01 · 90th $37.49Pennsylvania$29.40$18.95$37.49United States: 10th $18.49 · 25th $22.81 · median $28.33 · 75th $35.69 · 90th $49.04United States$28.33
Hourly wage percentiles for drywall and ceiling tile installers: Pennsylvania vs United States, May 2025.

Pennsylvania ranks 15th of 49 states for median drywall installer pay, and 12th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.12). 1,690 drywall and ceiling tile installers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.95 – $23.28$39,410 – $48,430roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.28 – $34.01$48,430 – $70,740the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$34.01 – $37.49$70,740 – $77,980the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Drywall installer pay by metro in Pennsylvania

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrAllentown: $29.67Allentown$29.67Philadelphia: $29.46Philadelphia$29.46Pittsburgh: $29.14Pittsburgh$29.14Lancaster: $29.09Lancaster$29.09Scranton: $22.91Scranton$22.91
Median hourly wage for drywall and ceiling tile installers by metro area in Pennsylvania, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Allentown$20.03$29.67$36.971101% above
Philadelphia$18.03$29.46$45.00980about the same as
Pittsburgh$22.01$29.14$35.283801% below
Lancaster$22.13$29.09$34.872001% below
Scranton$17.09$22.91$33.465022% below

Drywall installer wages in Pennsylvania over time

Pennsylvania, 1999-2025PennsylvaniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.40Pennsylvania$28.33United States
Median hourly wage for drywall and ceiling tile installers, Pennsylvania vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearPennsylvania $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.91$26.88$15.342,380
2000$14.98$28.01$15.801,700
2001$16.08$29.23$15.871,480
2002$16.25$29.08$16.211,420
2003$16.27$28.47$16.191,450
2004$16.25$27.69$16.361,620
2005$16.18$26.67$16.702,380
2006$16.39$26.17$17.382,520
2007$17.70$27.48$17.562,350
2008$18.28$27.33$18.122,260
2009$20.06$30.10$17.881,880
2010$18.95$27.98$17.941,900
2011$17.76$25.42$17.782,230
2012$18.04$25.30$17.892,130
2013$17.47$24.14$17.891,990
2014$19.52$26.55$18.321,680
2015$21.10$28.66$18.851,970
2016$21.98$29.48$19.751,940
2017$22.78$29.92$20.601,850
2018$22.63$29.01$21.031,720
2019$23.01$28.98$21.971,930
2020$23.02$28.64$22.822,390
2021$23.32$27.71$23.092,770
2022$24.00$26.40$24.252,410
2023$25.17$26.59$26.781,760
2024$28.01$28.75$27.951,610
2025$29.40$29.40$28.331,690

In today's dollars, the median drywall installer wage in Pennsylvania changed by +2.6% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for drywall installers in Pennsylvania

On federally funded construction in Pennsylvania, contractors must pay drywall installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 42 of the 52 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $55.65 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $37.73). 9 of the 52 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Adams County at $36.20). The market median for the state is $29.40.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, PAAdams: $36.20 (survey)Allegheny: $55.65 (union)Armstrong: $55.65 (union)Beaver: $55.65 (union)Bedford: $55.65 (union)Berks: —Blair: $55.65 (union)Bradford: —Bucks: $69.49 (union)Butler: $55.65 (union)Cambria: $55.65 (union)Cameron: $55.65 (union)Carbon: $43.31 (union)Centre: $55.65 (union)Chester: $69.49 (union)Clarion: $55.65 (union)Clearfield: $55.65 (union)Clinton: $55.65 (union)Columbia: —Crawford: $54.96 (survey)Cumberland: $57.03 (union)Dauphin: —Delaware: $69.49 (union)Elk: $55.65 (union)Erie: $51.51 (union)Fayette: $55.65 (union)Forest: $55.65 (union)Franklin: $55.40 (union)Fulton: $55.65 (union)Greene: $55.65 (union)Huntingdon: $55.65 (union)Indiana: $55.65 (union)Jefferson: $55.65 (union)Juniata: $37.73 (survey)Lackawanna: —Lancaster: $42.32 (survey)Lawrence: $55.65 (union)Lebanon: $36.20 (survey)Lehigh: $43.31 (union)Luzerne: —Lycoming: —McKean: $55.65 (union)Mercer: $55.65 (union)Mifflin: $55.40 (union)Monroe: —Montgomery: $69.49 (union)Montour: —Northampton: $43.31 (union)Northumberland: $37.73 (survey)Perry: —Philadelphia: $74.41 (union)Pike: —Potter: $55.65 (union)Schuylkill: $37.73 (survey)Snyder: $37.73 (survey)Somerset: $55.65 (union)Sullivan: —Susquehanna: $56.61 (union)Tioga: —Union: $37.73 (survey)Venango: $49.04 (union)Warren: $55.65 (union)Washington: $55.65 (union)Wayne: —Westmoreland: $55.65 (union)Wyoming: —York: $42.32 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$43.31$55.65n/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)$20$40$60$80/hrPhiladelphia (Philadelphia): market median $29.46, prevailing (union) $74.41, gap +$44.95Philadelphia (Philadelphia)+$44.95Cumberland (Pennsylvania): market median $29.40, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$27.63Cumberland (Pennsylvania)+$27.63Allegheny (Pittsburgh): market median $29.14, prevailing (union) $55.65, gap +$26.51Allegheny (Pittsburgh)+$26.51Carbon (Allentown): market median $29.67, prevailing (union) $43.31, gap +$13.64Carbon (Allentown)+$13.64Lancaster (Lancaster): market median $29.09, prevailing (survey) $42.32, gap +$13.23Lancaster (Lancaster)+$13.23
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for drywall installers, metro counties in Pennsylvania.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
PhiladelphiaUnion PAIN0021-012 2024-05-01$42.25$32.16$74.41PA20260003
BucksUnion PAIN0021-029 2023-05-01$38.77$30.72$69.49PA20260078
ChesterUnion PAIN0021-029 2023-05-01$38.77$30.72$69.49PA20260083
DelawareUnion PAIN0021-029 2023-05-01$38.77$30.72$69.49PA20260087
MontgomeryUnion PAIN0021-029 2023-05-01$38.77$30.72$69.49PA20260099
CumberlandUnion CARP0287-016 2025-06-01$36.84$20.19$57.03PA20260085
SusquehannaUnion CARP0081-007 2025-05-01$36.57$20.04$56.61PA20260067
AlleghenyUnion PAIN0057-005 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260001
ArmstrongUnion PAIN0057-033 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260074
BeaverUnion PAIN0057-033 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260075
BedfordUnion PAIN0057-001 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260043
BlairUnion PAIN0057-035 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260077
ButlerUnion PAIN0057-033 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260079
CambriaUnion PAIN0057-035 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260080
CameronUnion PAIN0057-001 2023-06-01$32.39$23.26$55.65PA20260045

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Pennsylvania prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Pennsylvania?

272.7kConstruction jobsPennsylvania, 2026-08
-0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025273kAug 2026
Construction employment in Pennsylvania (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Drywall installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Pennsylvania

Questions this page answers

How much do drywall installers make in Pennsylvania?

The median drywall installer in Pennsylvania earned $29.40 an hour ($61,160 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $28.33. The middle half earn $23.28–$34.01; the top 10% earn more than $37.49.

Where does Pennsylvania rank for drywall installer pay?

Pennsylvania ranks 15th of 49 states for drywall installer pay, with a median of $29.40 an hour, and 12th after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.6, US = 100).

What is the union drywall installer rate in Pennsylvania?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for drywall installers in 42 counties, with a typical package of $55.65 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many drywall installers work in Pennsylvania?

BLS counted 1,690 drywall and ceiling tile installers in Pennsylvania in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.52; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pennsylvania and metro areas, SOC 47-2081.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.