How to Become a Drywall Hanger
What is a Drywall Hanger
Drywall Hangers are essential to construction. Their job has them working a lot with their hands, but they also do a lot of work behind a desk or a computer. They don't just install drywall - they also need to calculate expenses, the number of materials required, and the dimensions of the rooms.
Drywall Hangers have to be physically fit and mentally sharp. After all, you can't afford to be careless when working around forklifts, hand tools, and other potentially dangerous equipment and chemicals. They are also involved in making electrical outlets, cutting out holes, measuring openings, and placing fixtures.
Drywall Hangers in the United States make $34,051 a year on average. That's about $16.37 an hour, which isn't bad considering there are no formal educational requirements for getting the position.
That doesn't mean that Drywall Hangers don't undergo some training before plying their trade. Many of them take apprenticeships under more veteran Drywall Hangers to receive on-the-job training and make business connections. Trade schools also offer training programs teaching potential applicants things like blueprint reading, building code requirements, and safety practices.
What Does a Drywall Hanger Do
Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers both install and tape wallboard.
How To Become a Drywall Hanger
Most drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.
EducationAlthough there are no education requirements for becoming a drywall and ceiling tile installers, or taper, high school math and vocational technical courses are considered useful.
TrainingMost drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade on the job by helping more experienced workers and gradually being given more duties. They start by carrying materials and cleaning up, and then learn to use the tools of the trade. They also learn to measure, cut, and install or apply materials. Employers usually provide some on-the-job training, lasting up to 12 months.
A few drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical work and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn construction basics related to blueprint reading, mathematics, building code requirements, and safety and first-aid practices.
A few groups, including the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs. The basic qualifications for entering such a program are as follows:
- Minimum age of 18
- High school education or equivalent
- Physically able to perform the work
After completing an apprenticeship program, they are considered to be journey workers and may perform duties on their own.
Important QualitiesBalance. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, often wear stilts. They must be able to move around and use tools overhead without falling.
Math skills. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, use math skills for measurement on every job. For example, they must be able to estimate the quantity of materials needed and measure accurately when cutting panels.
Physical stamina. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, constantly lift and move heavy materials into place, so workers should be in good physical shape.
Physical strength. Drywall and ceiling tile installers must often lift heavy panels over their heads to secure onto the ceiling.
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Drywall Hanger Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a Drywall Hanger can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as Foreman, progress to a title such as Superintendent and then eventually end up with the title Project Manager.
Drywall Hanger Jobs You Might Like
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Average Salary for a Drywall Hanger
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Drywall Hanger Jobs You Might Like
- High Paying Drywall Hanger Jobs - $37K and Up
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Create The Perfect Resume
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Find the best Drywall Hanger job for you
Drywall Hanger Jobs You Might Like
- High Paying Drywall Hanger Jobs - $37K and Up
- Entry Level Drywall Hanger Jobs
- Part Time Drywall Hanger Jobs
- Actively Hiring
- No Degree Drywall Hanger Jobs
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Top Skills For a Drywall Hanger
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 22.5% of Drywall Hangers listed Tape Measure on their resume, but soft skills such as Dexterity and Math skills are important as well.
- Tape Measure, 22.5%
- Stud, 20.5%
- Hand Tools, 7.8%
- Sand, 7.7%
- Job Sites, 5.9%
- Other Skills, 35.6% See All Drywall Hanger Skills
12 Drywall Hanger RESUME EXAMPLES
Build a professional drywall hanger resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 12+ resume templates to create your drywall hanger resume.
Best States For a Drywall Hanger
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a Drywall Hanger. The best states for people in this position are Hawaii, North Dakota, California, and Alaska. Drywall Hangers make the most in Hawaii with an average salary of $46,990. Whereas in North Dakota and California, they would average $44,432 and $42,977, respectively. While Drywall Hangers would only make an average of $42,256 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. North Dakota
$44,432
Avg. Salary
2. Nebraska
$39,795
Avg. Salary
3. Ohio
$38,764
Avg. Salary
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