How much do drywall installers make in South Carolina in 2026?

The median drywall installer in South Carolina earns $45,340 a year, or about $21.80 an hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of the state's drywall installers earn more, half earn less. Where you fall on that range depends heavily on your experience, your employer, and which part of the state you're working in.

The bottom quarter of earners — typically newer installers or those in slower markets — take home $38,180 a year, which works out to roughly $18.36 an hour. The top quarter clears $53,160 annually, or about $25.56 an hour. That $14,980 gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is meaningful. It represents the real difference in lifetime earnings between a journeyman who keeps sharpening their skills and one who stays put.

These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. They cover base wages only — they do not include overtime, bonuses, per diem, or the value of any benefits. On active commercial or residential construction projects, overtime is common, and drywall work is no exception. If a crew is hanging and finishing on a tight schedule, 50- to 55-hour weeks are realistic. At $21.80 an hour straight time, a 10-hour overtime day adds roughly $109 over a standard 8-hour day (at time-and-a-half). A handful of heavy overtime weeks each year can push effective annual earnings noticeably above the BLS median.

Seasonality matters in South Carolina. The state has a milder climate than most of the country, which means outdoor construction slow-downs are less severe than in northern states. That said, interior drywall work on new construction can still stall if the framing and envelope aren't closed in. Coastal and low-country markets around Charleston and Hilton Head tend to have more consistent year-round work tied to hospitality, residential development, and commercial build-outs. Upstate markets like Greenville and Spartanburg are also active, driven by manufacturing facility construction and the broader industrial corridor. Columbia, as the state capital, carries steady government and institutional project volume.

No union scale data is available for drywall installers in South Carolina. The state has a relatively low rate of union density in construction trades overall, and most drywall crews work non-union. That means wage rates are largely set by individual contractors and market demand rather than collectively bargained agreements.

There is no state-specific license required to work as a drywall installer in South Carolina, but general contractors and specialty subcontractors doing work above certain dollar thresholds must be licensed through the South Carolina Contractors' Licensing Board. For the individual installer, the most direct path to higher pay is documented experience — crews that can hang, tape, and finish to Level 4 or Level 5 standards are in shorter supply and command better hourly rates. Installers who also pick up framing or metal stud work make themselves more versatile and more valuable to a broader range of employers.

To move toward the 75th percentile and above, focus on productivity and finish quality. Hanging more square footage per day with clean cuts and tight joints is what separates a $19-an-hour installer from a $26-an-hour one. Learning commercial systems — shaft wall assemblies, fire-rated assemblies, and multi-layer systems — also opens doors to larger projects where the work is steadier and the pay tends to be higher. Some installers move into estimating or crew lead roles after several years, which often comes with a salary bump beyond what pure field work pays.

The BLS numbers are a reliable baseline, but they are a snapshot from a single survey period. They won't capture a specific contractor paying above market to hold onto a good crew, or a smaller shop in a rural county paying below the state average because local competition is thin. Use the percentile range as a reference point when negotiating or evaluating a job offer, not as a ceiling.