Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers Salary
The median pay for a drywall and ceiling tile installers in Utah is $51,020/year ($24.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $51,776 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $51K get you in Utah?
About drywall and ceiling tile installers
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers in Utah runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 39.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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, Utah
Entry-level drywall and ceiling tile installers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $55K | +9% | 990 |
| Ogden | $54K | +6% | 360 |
| St. George | $51K | -0% | 380 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $50K | -2% | 590 |
| Logan | $49K | -4% | 160 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a drywall and ceiling tile installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 39.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new drywall and ceiling tile installers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,230/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $51K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for drywall and ceiling tile installers?
Utah pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do drywall and ceiling tile installers make in Utah?
The median is $51,020 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,160, and experienced drywall and ceiling tile installers can clear $68,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,388/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 39.8% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $51,776 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.