How To Become A Drywall Finisher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a drywall finisher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Drywall finishers are responsible for preparing walls for paint or wall covering after drywall panel hangers finish their job. They apply drywall compound to the seams between drywall panels and nail and screw indentations on the surface of the panels. They also use tape and plaster to join drywall panels to create a smooth finish to the surface. Drywall finishers earn an average salary of $17 per hour, which amounts to $35,000 a year.

Drywall finishers fasten premade drywall panels to the interiors of rooms, finishing, or taping joints to prepare surfaces for final finish work. They conceal any imperfections or exposed irregularities in the drywall surface and repair cracks and any other damage to the drywall panels. They also layer plaster or spackle with trowels to create a flat surface, sanding down rough areas on the wall to create a smooth surface.

Drywall finishers typically hold a high school diploma or GED. They are expected to have some years of experience as drywall finishers and a valid driver's license. Some employers prefer candidates with good knowledge of the tools, materials, and methods used in drywall and ceiling finishing. A great drywall finisher needs to have the ability to interpret construction blueprints.

ScoreDrywall FinisherUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,376

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.19%

Asian 1.06%

Black or African American 7.44%

Hispanic or Latino 30.01%

Unknown 3.61%

White 55.69%

Gender

female 9.12%

male 90.88%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a drywall finisher

Explore drywall finisher education requirements

Most common drywall finisher degrees

High School Diploma

55.2 %

Diploma

15.7 %

Associate

14.0 %

Start to develop specific drywall finisher skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	16.31%
Ladders	12.47%
Scaffolding	8.87%
Finishers	7.90%
Texture	7.62%

Complete relevant drywall finisher training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New drywall finishers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a drywall finisher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real drywall finisher resumes.

Research drywall finisher duties and responsibilities

Practice safe PPE around compound dust.
Enforce safety requirements, PPE, regulation laws.
Replace and finish all work around remove urinals, sinks or tubs.
Discard hazardous materials according to OSHA, MOSH, fire and building codes.

Prepare your drywall finisher resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your drywall finisher resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable drywall finisher resume templates

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