Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary
The median pay for a drywall and ceiling tile installers in El Centro, CA is $78,020/year ($37.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers.
So what does $78K get you in El Centro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Centro’s Regional Price Parity (95.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About drywall and ceiling tile installers
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What this looks like in El Centro
El Centro sits well above the national pay line for drywall and ceiling tile installers, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,362/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers in metros near El Centro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $63K | , |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $61K | , |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $76K | , |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $82K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Centro, CA
Entry-level drywall and ceiling tile installers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $105K | +78% | 800 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +27% | 1,340 |
| Alaska | $74K | +25% | 100 |
| Oregon | $74K | +25% | 1,680 |
| Washington | $73K | +24% | 2,670 |
| Massachusetts | $70K | +18% | 590 |
| California | $66K | +12% | 27,280 |
| Illinois | $63K | +7% | 740 |
| Missouri | $63K | +6% | 550 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +5% | 370 |
| Colorado | $62K | +5% | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $61K | +4% | 1,680 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +4% | 1,050 |
| New York | $61K | +4% | 2,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | +4% | 1,690 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +3% | 300 |
| Montana | $60K | +2% | 170 |
| Maine | $60K | +2% | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Vermont | $60K | +2% | 90 |
| Michigan | $58K | -1% | 1,050 |
| Georgia | $58K | -1% | 690 |
| Virginia | $56K | -5% | 2,480 |
| Maryland | $55K | -7% | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $54K | -9% | 580 |
| Nevada | $52K | -11% | 2,980 |
| Iowa | $51K | -13% | 290 |
| Utah | $51K | -13% | 2,610 |
| Arizona | $50K | -15% | 2,590 |
| Delaware | $50K | -15% | 350 |
| Indiana | $50K | -15% | 680 |
| Florida | $49K | -17% | 6,000 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -17% | 360 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -17% | 770 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -18% | 490 |
| Alabama | $48K | -19% | 650 |
| Texas | $48K | -19% | 5,760 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -19% | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -20% | 310 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -20% | 440 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -22% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $45K | -23% | 340 |
| North Dakota | $45K | -23% | 130 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -24% | 1,520 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -24% | 240 |
| Wyoming | $44K | -25% | 140 |
| Idaho | $44K | -26% | 920 |
| Kansas | $40K | -32% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -37% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track drywall and ceiling tile installers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when El Centro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a drywall and ceiling tile installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Centro?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,362/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for drywall and ceiling tile installers in El Centro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drywall and ceiling tile installers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,265/month. At HUD’s $1,362/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is drywall and ceiling tile installer a high-paying job in El Centro?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $78K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does El Centro compare to the national average for drywall and ceiling tile installers?
El Centro pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make in El Centro, CA?
The median is $78,020 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,750, and experienced drywall and ceiling tile installers can clear $78,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in El Centro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,990/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,362/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a drywall and ceiling tile installers salary go in El Centro?
El Centro has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median drywall and ceiling tile installers salary is worth about $81,954 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do drywall and ceiling tile installers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.