How to become a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer

Official title: Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Also called: Ceiling Installer, Drywall Finisher, Drywall Hanger, Drywall Installer, Drywall Mechanic, Installer, Metal Framer, Metal Stud Framer, Sheetrock Hanger, Sheetrock Installer

Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.

Main tasks

• Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
• Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
• Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
• Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
• Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
• Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
• Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
• Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.

How to become one

Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Acoustical Carpenter (Alternate Title: Acoustical Specialist).
• Apprenticeship: Dry-Wall Applicator.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $58,930 a year The middle half earn $47,440 to $74,230.
• About 102,200 people work in this job now, and about 104,700 are projected by 2035. (+2.5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Tapers
• Carpenters
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Boilermakers
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer?

Most drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.

How much does a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $58,930 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $47,440 to $74,230.

Is a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 102,200 to about 104,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer?

Usually not. Only 3% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Acoustical Carpenter (Alternate Title: Acoustical Specialist).

Will AI change the work of a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.