How much do drywall installers make in Ohio in 2026?

The median drywall installer in Ohio earns $61,420 a year, which works out to $29.53 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number sits at the midpoint — half of Ohio's drywall installers earn more, half earn less. If you're trying to figure out where you stand or what to aim for, these BLS OEWS May 2025 numbers give you a solid baseline.

The bottom quarter of earners — the 25th percentile — land at $49,190 annually, or about $23.65 an hour. Workers at this level are typically earlier in their careers, working in lower-cost markets within the state, or picking up fewer hours through the year. It's not a bad starting point, but it's also not where you want to stay.

The top quarter — the 75th percentile — pulls in $70,940 a year, roughly $34.11 an hour. Getting into that range usually means a combination of things: years of consistent work, the ability to hang and finish both residential and commercial board, familiarity with specialized systems like metal stud framing or moisture-resistant assemblies, and working in markets where contractors are competing harder for experienced hands.

Ohio's geography plays a real role in where your paycheck lands. The Columbus metro has seen sustained construction activity driven by data center and warehouse buildouts, which keeps demand for interior finishers steady. Cleveland and Cincinnati offer commercial work that tends to pay above the state median, especially on multi-story projects where speed and precision both matter. Smaller markets in rural Ohio or the southeast part of the state generally track closer to or below the 25th percentile figure.

Specialty work moves the needle. Installers who can handle level-5 finishes, curved walls, or intricate ceiling systems command a premium because fewer people can do it correctly. Similarly, anyone who can read blueprints, coordinate with other trades, and manage a small crew is worth more to a general contractor than someone who only knows one piece of the job.

Hours matter as much as rate. Drywall work can run heavy during construction booms and slow considerably when projects dry up. An installer earning $29.53 an hour but only working 1,600 hours in a year takes home less than someone at $26.00 an hour who logs a full 2,080. Consistent hours — built through a reliable contractor relationship or union hall dispatch — often matter more than chasing the highest posted rate.

No union scale data is available for drywall installers in Ohio at this time. If you're working under a collective bargaining agreement, your actual scale may differ from the BLS figures shown here, which blend both union and non-union workers across the state.

The spread between the 25th and 75th percentile — $49,190 to $70,940, a gap of more than $21,000 a year — tells you there's real money left on the table at the lower end. Moving up that range comes down to skill depth, market selection, and how consistently you work. All three are things you can influence directly.