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Skilled Trades

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

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.

Median salary

$58,140

Typical range

$38k – $101k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

    Entry / Junior

    $37,810

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

    Established

    $58,140

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

    Senior

    $79,760

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.
  • •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.
  • •Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents.

Fields of study

Any field

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