How much does a drywall installer charge per hour in California?
Typical drywall installer rate, California
$78/hr
Most drywall installers in California charge $66 to $100 an hour. A full 8-hour day runs about $624.
Updated October 2026 · Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
How we got $78
| Median drywall installer wage in California | $31.67 |
|---|---|
| × 1.4 payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance | $44.34 |
| ÷ 0.8 for hours nobody gets billed (driving, supply runs, estimates) | $55.42 |
| × 1.4 overhead (truck, tools, office) and profit | $77.59 |
| Typical rate | $78/hr |
What drywall installers earn in California
| Pay level | Wage | Charges about |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $22.14 | $54/hr |
| 25th percentile | $26.83 | $66/hr |
| Median (middle) | $31.67 | $78/hr |
| 75th percentile | $40.95 | $100/hr |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $57.81 | $142/hr |
27,280 drywall installers work in California. The middle earner makes $65,880 a year. Wages are from the BLS Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers category.
How California compares
California drywall installers earn 12% above the U.S., ranking #7 of 49 states for drywall installer pay (#1 pays the most). The typical U.S. rate is $69 an hour.
| State | Typical | Most charge |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $123/hr | $87 to $136 |
| Alaska | $87/hr | $72 to $89 |
| Oregon | $87/hr | $60 to $125 |
| Washington | $86/hr | $74 to $119 |
| California | $78/hr | $66 to $100 |
| United States | $69/hr | $56 to $87 |
What drives drywall installer prices
Hanging and finishing is usually priced per sheet or per square foot. Small patches often carry a minimum charge, because each coat of mud has to dry and the job takes several trips.
Common questions
How much does a drywall installer charge per hour in California?
Most drywall installers in California charge between $66 and $100 an hour, and about $78 is typical. A full 8-hour day runs about $624. These are estimates built from what drywall installers earn in California (a median of $31.67 an hour, BLS May 2025), not quotes.
Why do drywall installers charge so much more than they earn?
The wage is only part of the cost. On top of $31.67 an hour, the employer pays payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance (about $44.34 in total), loses paid hours to driving, supply runs and estimates that nobody is billed for (about $55.42 per billed hour), and has to cover the truck, tools, office and a profit. That's how $31.67 becomes about $78.
What's the lowest rate a drywall installer in California can charge without losing money?
About $55 an hour for a drywall installer paid the California median. That covers pay, payroll taxes, insurance and unbilled time, but nothing for the truck, tools, office or profit, so a rate below it loses money on every hour.
Other trades in California
Rates are BidFlow estimates, not quotes. Each starts with the May 2025 wage from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, then multiplies by 1.4 for payroll taxes and insurance, divides by 0.8 for hours that can't be billed, and multiplies by 1.4 for overhead and profit. Updated October 2026. How we calculate
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