Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary
The median pay for a drywall and ceiling tile installers in Tennessee is $47,510/year ($22.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $52,918 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 35.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Tennessee?
About drywall and ceiling tile installers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers in Tennessee runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for drywall and ceiling tile installerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level drywall and ceiling tile installers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary by metro in Tennessee
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $51K | +7% | 500 |
| Memphis | $47K | -1% | 140 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $46K | -4% | 40 |
| Chattanooga | $45K | -5% | 60 |
| Clarksville | $39K | -17% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a drywall and ceiling tile installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drywall and ceiling tile installers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,233/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $48K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for drywall and ceiling tile installers?
Tennessee pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make in Tennessee?
The median is $47,510 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,220, and experienced drywall and ceiling tile installers can clear $65,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,351/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 36.3% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $52,918 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.