Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary
The median pay for a drywall and ceiling tile installers in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN is $54,830/year ($26.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $59,747 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,166/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
Drywall and ceiling tile installers pay in La Crosse-Onalaska tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,166/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers in metros near La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $61K | $63K |
| Madison | $64K | $65K |
| Eau Claire | $59K | $64K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $64K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level drywall and ceiling tile installers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. 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 La Crosse-Onalaska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a drywall and ceiling tile installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in La Crosse-Onalaska?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for drywall and ceiling tile installers in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drywall and ceiling tile installers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,304/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for drywall and ceiling tile installers?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $54,830 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,400, and experienced drywall and ceiling tile installers can clear $78,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,686/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 31.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a drywall and ceiling tile installers salary go in La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median drywall and ceiling tile installers salary is worth about $59,747 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.