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Drywall finisher salary
Average drywall finisher salary
$39,376
Understanding Drywall Finisher Earnings
The salary of a drywall finisher varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific employer. The national average stands at approximately $39,376 per year, translating to about $19 per hour. In states like California and New York, earnings can be significantly higher due to demand and cost of living factors.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level drywall finishers typically earn less, while those with more experience or specialized skills can command higher salaries. For instance, seasoned professionals may earn upwards of $50,000 annually.
Job Opportunities
Job prospects for drywall finishers remain strong, especially in areas experiencing construction booms. Employers value skilled labor, and many offer competitive pay along with benefits. To find the latest job openings in this field, utilize platforms like Zippia, which provide valuable insights into job trends and salary expectations.
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Where can a Drywall Finisher earn more?
Drywall finisher salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level drywall finisher | $35,600 | $17.13 |
| Mid-level drywall finisher | $43,400 | $20.86 |
| Senior-level drywall finisher | $47,200 | $22.69 |
Drywall finisher salary estimates from across the web
Average drywall finisher salary by state
The average drywall finisher salary in North Dakota, Utah, and Hawaii are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average drywall finisher salary states are Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for drywall finishers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $53,094 | $25.53 |
| 2 | Iowa | $46,796 | $22.50 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $50,750 | $24.40 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $58,791 | $28.26 |
| 5 | Montana | $42,986 | $20.67 |
| 6 | Ohio | $42,850 | $20.60 |
| 7 | Vermont | $43,133 | $20.74 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $43,384 | $20.86 |
| 9 | Delaware | $49,129 | $23.62 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $48,326 | $23.23 |
| 11 | Washington | $44,300 | $21.30 |
| 12 | Kansas | $41,413 | $19.91 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $42,484 | $20.43 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $44,011 | $21.16 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $40,775 | $19.60 |
| 16 | Idaho | $41,452 | $19.93 |
| 17 | Illinois | $48,248 | $23.20 |
| 18 | California | $50,541 | $24.30 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $46,564 | $22.39 |
| 20 | Alaska | $41,122 | $19.77 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $44,271 | $21.28 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $40,059 | $19.26 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $52,087 | $25.04 |
| 24 | Oregon | $42,628 | $20.49 |
| 25 | Maine | $39,744 | $19.11 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $46,542 | $22.38 |
| 27 | Indiana | $39,767 | $19.12 |
| 28 | Maryland | $45,681 | $21.96 |
| 29 | Nevada | $40,534 | $19.49 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $45,281 | $21.77 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $45,605 | $21.93 |
| 32 | Colorado | $40,655 | $19.55 |
| 33 | Michigan | $39,751 | $19.11 |
| 34 | Arizona | $40,070 | $19.26 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $34,740 | $16.70 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $36,898 | $17.74 |
| 37 | Virginia | $37,739 | $18.14 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $33,636 | $16.17 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $32,309 | $15.53 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $33,601 | $16.15 |
| 41 | New York | $37,402 | $17.98 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $31,994 | $15.38 |
| 43 | Florida | $28,798 | $13.85 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $29,930 | $14.39 |
| 45 | Missouri | $32,575 | $15.66 |
| 46 | Georgia | $28,124 | $13.52 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $31,598 | $15.19 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $27,885 | $13.41 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $28,870 | $13.88 |
| 50 | Texas | $27,662 | $13.30 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,564 | $11.81 |
Highest paying cities for drywall finishers
The highest-paying cities for drywall finishers are Sunnyvale, CA, Bellevue, WA, and Cary, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $55,988 | $26.92 |
| 2 | Bellevue, WA | $44,655 | $21.47 |
| 3 | Cary, NC | $44,189 | $21.24 |
| 4 | Eugene, OR | $42,483 | $20.42 |
| 5 | Fort Wayne, IN | $42,127 | $20.25 |
| 6 | Topeka, KS | $41,966 | $20.18 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $41,894 | $20.14 |
| 8 | Fort Collins, CO | $41,703 | $20.05 |
| 9 | Wauwatosa, WI | $40,814 | $19.62 |
| 10 | Manassas, VA | $40,260 | $19.36 |
| 11 | Tempe, AZ | $40,113 | $19.29 |
| 12 | Novi, MI | $39,817 | $19.14 |
| 13 | Buffalo, NY | $35,849 | $17.24 |
| 14 | Fayetteville, AR | $32,804 | $15.77 |
| 15 | Charleston, SC | $31,658 | $15.22 |
| 16 | Jacksonville, FL | $29,453 | $14.16 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $29,306 | $14.09 |
| 18 | Warner Robins, GA | $27,749 | $13.34 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $27,721 | $13.33 |
Drywall finisher salary details
A drywall finisher's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a drywall finisher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $39,376 | $3,281 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying drywall finisher jobs
The highest paying types of drywall finishers are construction foreman, acoustical ceiling technician, and acoustical ceiling mechanic.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Foreman | $57,121 | $4,760 | $27.46 | 40,621 |
| Live Hanger | $30,484 | $2,540 | $14.66 | 844 |
| Journeyman Painter | $40,885 | $3,407 | $19.66 | 8,020 |
| Concrete Finisher | $40,674 | $3,389 | $19.55 | 15,309 |
| Finisher | $32,442 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 14,816 |
| Drywall Hanger | $38,696 | $3,225 | $18.60 | 13,655 |
Top companies hiring drywall finishers now:
Which companies pay drywall finishers the most?
Drywall finisher salaries at Swinerton and Ryans are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average drywall finisher salary at companies like TPI and Precision Walls are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swinerton | $50,795 | $24.42 |
| 2 | Ryans | $43,482 | $20.90 |
| 3 | TPI | $41,438 | $19.92 |
| 4 | Precision Walls | $41,134 | $19.78 |
| 5 | Tradesmen International | $41,088 | $19.75 |
| 6 | Performance Contracting | $40,482 | $19.46 |
| 7 | Trillium Staffing | $38,772 | $18.64 |
| 8 | Aerotek | $38,577 | $18.55 |
| 9 | Champion Homes | $37,458 | $18.01 |
| 10 | Handyman Connection | $37,305 | $17.94 |
| 11 | Service Master Clean | $37,195 | $17.88 |
| 12 | Parker and Sons | $37,088 | $17.83 |
| 13 | AGC of Texas | $37,088 | $17.83 |
| 14 | Skyline | $35,414 | $17.03 |
| 15 | Snelling | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| 16 | PeopleReady | $34,520 | $16.60 |
| 17 | University of Tennessee | $33,341 | $16.03 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Drywall Finisher salary by industry
The average drywall finisher salary varies across industries:
- The average drywall finisher salary in the professional industry is $54,125, the highest of any industry.
- The average drywall finisher salary in the finance industry is $41,064.
- Drywall finishers in the real estate industry earn an average salary of $37,245, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for drywall finishers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $54,125 | $26.02 |
| 2 | Construction | $41,064 | $19.74 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $40,314 | $19.38 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $37,245 | $17.91 |
High paying drywall finisher jobs
Drywall finisher salary trends
The average drywall finisher salary has risen by $8,703 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average drywall finisher earned $30,673 annually, but today, they earn $39,376 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for drywall finishers over the last decade.
Compare drywall finisher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average drywall finisher salary over time
Compare drywall finisher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Drywall finisher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,400 | $18.93 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $37,900 | $18.23 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $36,300 | $17.44 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $35,600 | $17.10 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $34,100 | $16.39 | +4.6% |
Recently added drywall finisher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skillit | Drywall Finisher | Nunez, GA | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Tradesmen International | Drywall Finisher | San Diego, CA | 06/22/2025 | $73,045 |
| Cleveland Construction | Drywall Finisher | Louisville, KY | 06/21/2025 | $62,610 |
| Cotton Holdings | Drywall Finisher Specialist | Houston, TX | 06/17/2025 | $52,175 |
| RQ Construction | Commercial Drywall Finisher | Jacksonville, FL | 06/13/2025 | $45,914 |
| RQ Construction | Commercial Drywall Finisher | Kings Bay Base, GA | 06/11/2025 | $45,914 |
| Madden Industrial Craftsmen | Drywall Installer/Finisher | Austin, TX | 06/09/2025 | $50,088 |
| All Trades Home Solutions | Drywall Finisher | Sioux Falls, SD | 06/03/2025 | $31,305 |
| RQ Construction | Commercial Drywall Finisher | Kings Bay Base, GA | 05/23/2025 | $45,914 |
| Haselden Construction | Drywall Finisher | Denver, CO | 05/17/2025 | $58,436 |
Drywall finisher salary FAQs
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