Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
47-2081.00
Updated 2025

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.

Sample of reported job titles: Ceiling Installer, Dry Wall Installer, Drywall Finisher, Drywall Hanger, Drywall Installer, Drywall Mechanic, Drywaller, Exterior Interior Specialist, Metal Framer, Metal Stud Framer

Occupation-Specific Information

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.
  • 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.
  • Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
  • Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.
  • Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.
  • 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.
  • Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives.
  • Suspend angle iron grids or channel irons from ceilings, using wire.
  • Coordinate work with drywall finishers who cover the seams between drywall panels.
  • Install horizontal and vertical metal or wooden studs to frames so that wallboard can be attached to interior walls.
  • Scribe and cut edges of tile to fit walls where wall molding is not specified.
  • Hang dry lines to wall moldings to guide positioning of main runners.
  • Fasten metal or rockboard lath to the structural framework of walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using nails, screws, staples, or wire-ties.
  • Install blanket insulation between studs and tack plastic moisture barriers over insulation.
  • Seal joints between ceiling tiles and walls.
  • Remove existing plaster, drywall, or paneling, using crowbars and hammers.
  • Apply or mount acoustical tile or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings or walls of buildings to reduce reflection of sound or to decorate rooms.
  • Mount tile, using adhesives, or by nailing, screwing, stapling, or wire-tying lath directly to structural frameworks.
  • Nail channels or wood furring strips to surfaces to provide mounting for tile.
  • Install metal lath where plaster applications will be exposed to weather or water, or for curved or irregular surfaces.
  • Apply cement to backs of tiles and press tiles into place, aligning them with layout marks or joints of previously laid tile.
  • Wash concrete surfaces before mounting tile to increase adhesive qualities of surfaces, using washing soda and zinc sulfate solution.
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Technology Skills

  • Accounting software — Job costing software
  • Data base user interface and query software — Business management software
  • Office suite software — Microsoft Office software Hot technology
  • Operating system software — Microsoft Windows Hot technology
  • Optical character reader OCR or scanning software — Logic Group Scanner Digitizing Software
  • Project management software — Construction Software Center EasyEst; DevWave Estimate Works; On Center Quick Bid; Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
  • Word processing software — Microsoft Word Hot technology ; Wilhelm Publishing Threshold
Hot technology
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Detailed Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Spend Time Standing — 86% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 77% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams — 72% responded “Every day.”
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 52% responded “Extremely important.”
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 62% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 44% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 41% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Telephone Conversations — 48% responded “Every day.”
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 36% responded “A lot of freedom.”
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals — 38% responded “A lot of freedom.”
  • Spend Time Walking or Running — 45% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team — 44% responded “Extremely important.”
  • Time Pressure — 34% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Contact With Others — 33% responded “Contact with others most of the time.”
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 43% responded “Every day.”
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 42% responded “Very important results.”
  • Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body — 29% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 47% responded “Important.”
  • Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers — 36% responded “High responsibility.”
  • Exposed to Contaminants — 31% responded “Every day.”
  • Physical Proximity — 52% responded “Moderately close (at arm's length).”
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures — 37% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles — 41% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment — 44% responded “Every day.”
  • Level of Competition — 53% responded “Moderately competitive.”
  • Exposed to High Places — 46% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled — 40% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers — 26% responded “Very high responsibility.”
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions — 34% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities — 35% responded “Fairly important.”
  • Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — 29% responded “Once a year or more but not every month.”
  • Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling — 38% responded “Less than half the time.”

Experience Requirements

Job Zone

Title
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
SVP Range
(4.0 to < 6.0)

Training & Credentials

State training
Local training
Certifications
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State licenses

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Example apprenticeship titles for this occupation:

  • Acoustical Carpenter (Alternate Title: Acoustical Specialist)
  • Drywall Applicator Specialist (Existing Title: Dry-Wall Applicator)

Specific title(s) listed above are vetted by industry and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for use in a Registered Apprenticeship Program.

Start your career and build your skillset. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to learn about opportunities related to this occupation.

Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Knowledge

  • Building and Construction — Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:

  • 42%
     
    Less than high school diploma required
  • 24%
     
    High school diploma or equivalent required
  • 19%
     
    Post-secondary certificate required

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium — The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Perceptual Speed — The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Interests

Interest code: RC
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  • Realistic — Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Work Styles

  • Dependability — A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.

Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wages (2024)
$27.95 hourly, $58,140 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2024)
103,100 employees
Projected growth (2024-2034)
Average (3% to 4%)
Projected job openings (2024-2034)
7,700
State trends
Top industries (2024)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 wage data and 2024-2034 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2024-2034). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Job Openings on the Web

State job openings
Local job openings

More Information

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Professional Associations

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National Associations
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