Drywall Installer Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
A drywall installer turns a framed building into rooms: measuring, cutting and hanging board, framing metal studs and ceilings, and leaving clean joints for the finishers. This page has a drywall installer job description template you can copy, the duties list, what the trade pays, and the requirement most postings should drop.
What a drywall installer does
A drywall installer, or hanger, turns a framed building into rooms. They measure and cut wallboard, hang it on wood or metal framing, cut openings for outlets, windows, vents and fixtures, and often frame the metal studs and ceiling grids it hangs on. On commercial jobs they also install suspended ceilings and acoustical tile. Finishing the seams (taping, mudding and sanding) is a separate trade in federal data, though many small crews do both.
BLS counts the role as drywall and ceiling tile installers (SOC 47-2081). O*NET’s reported titles include drywall hanger, drywall mechanic, sheetrock hanger, sheetrock installer, metal stud framer, metal framer and ceiling installer. The Occupational Outlook Handbook profiles installers together with tapers (47-2082), who finish the joints; the figures on this page are for installers unless labeled otherwise.
O*NET’s task list starts with reading blueprints to plan the installation, measuring and marking layout, cutting and screwing together metal channels for floor and ceiling frames, hanging panels on metal frameworks in offices, schools and other large buildings using lifts or hoists, fastening wallboard with glue, nails or screws, and cutting openings for fixtures. Further down: installing studs and insulation, suspending ceiling grids from wire, installing acoustical tile and tearing out old plaster or drywall.
| Working conditions (O*NET, 47-2081) | Share reporting it |
|---|---|
| Standing continually or almost continually | 92% |
| Walking or running continually or almost continually | 78% |
| Exposed to high places every day | 72% |
| Bending or twisting continually or almost continually | 52% |
| Time pressure every day | 52% |
| Climbing ladders or scaffolds continually or almost continually | 47% |
That is a hard physical job, and the OOH says so: workers spend most of the day standing, bending or reaching, and often lift and maneuver heavy wallboard. The high-places row matters for your posting. Name the equipment you provide (lifts, scaffolding, stilts policy) and your fall protection practice; experienced hangers notice.
Drywall installer duties
- Read plans and specifications to lay out walls, ceilings, soffits and openings
- Measure, mark and cut drywall panels to fit, including openings for outlets, switches, windows, vents and plumbing
- Hang drywall on wood or metal framing and ceilings, using screws, nails or adhesive, and panel lifts where needed
- Frame metal studs, tracks, furring channels and ceiling grids on commercial work
- Install corner bead, trim and, where required, fire-rated, moisture-resistant or sound-rated assemblies
- Install suspended ceiling grids and acoustical tile
- Remove damaged or old drywall and plaster on renovation work
- Coordinate with finishers, electricians, plumbers and HVAC crews so work is not covered before inspection
- Keep the work area clean and follow site safety rules for ladders, scaffolds, lifts and dust
Drywall installer job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields and delete what does not apply. It is written for a commercial or residential drywall contractor; adjust the finishing lines if your crew also tapes.
Job title
Drywall Installer [/ Drywall Hanger / Metal Framer], [Commercial / Residential], [Company name], [City, ST or service area]
Summary
[Company name] is hiring drywall installers for [commercial / residential / multifamily] work across [area]. You frame, hang and fit board so the finishers can do their job, on [type of projects]. [Schedule, start time, travel]. [Pay range, and whether hourly or piece rate].
What you will do
• Read plans and lay out walls, ceilings and openings
• Measure, cut and hang drywall on [wood / metal] framing
• [Frame metal studs, track and ceiling grids]
• Install [fire-rated / moisture-resistant / sound] assemblies to spec
• [Install acoustical ceilings]
• Work safely on ladders, scaffolds and lifts, and keep the site clean
What you need
• [X months / years] hanging drywall, or [helper experience; we train]
• Own basic hand tools: [list]. We supply [screw guns / lifts / scaffolding]
• Able to lift and maneuver full sheets with a partner and work overhead
• Reliable transportation to job sites
• [OSHA 10, or willingness to complete it]
Nice to have
• Metal framing and ceiling experience
• Taping and finishing experience
• [Bilingual English/Spanish]
What we offer
• [Pay range], [piece-rate example week, if applicable]
• [Weekly pay]
• [Year-round work / project backlog]
• [Benefits and eligibility date]
• [Apprenticeship or path to foreman]
How to apply
[One step. A text or call to the foreman works best.]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Education | Drop it. BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this job. In O*NET’s survey, 42 percent said a new hire needs less than a high school diploma and 24 percent a diploma. |
| Experience | BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training and no required work experience. The OOH says most workers learn by helping experienced workers, with initial training typically lasting up to 12 months. Hire helpers and train them. |
| Apprenticeship | A plus, not a requirement. The OOH notes apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with technical instruction and typically last 2 to 4 years. |
| Tools | List the hand tools the installer brings and what you supply. It is a real cost and belongs in the posting. |
| Transportation | Say whether you pay travel time or provide rides to remote sites. |
| Safety training | Offer OSHA 10 rather than require it, unless your contract or state requires it. See OSHA’s fall protection guidance for the work-at-height side. |
Hangers vs. finishers: pick one, or say both
Federal data splits the trade. Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang the board; tapers apply tape and compound to the joints and sand them smooth. Tapers earned a higher median in May 2025, $68,270, against $58,930 for installers. If your posting says “drywall installer” but the job is mostly finishing, the pay line will look low to the finishers you want. Post two roles, or write one posting that names both skills and pays for both.
What drywall installers earn
Drywall and ceiling tile installers had a median wage of $58,930 a year, about $28.33 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,460 and the highest 10 percent more than $102,010.
| Industry (drywall and ceiling tile installers) | Median annual wage (May 2025) | Share employed |
|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential building construction | $67,180 | 7% |
| Drywall and insulation contractors | $58,850 | 61% |
| Self-employed workers | not published | 19% |
There were 102,200 drywall and ceiling tile installers in 2025, and BLS projects employment to grow 2 percent to 104,700 by 2035. The BLS Employment Projections table puts openings at about 6,600 a year for installers, and the OOH projects about 7,600 a year across installers and tapers, mostly to replace workers who change occupations or retire.
What it costs to reach a drywall installer
Drywall installers fall in the skilled trades role family in Boostpoint’s 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark: a median cost per applicant of $14.14 on Meta, a middle 50 percent band of $7.58 to $21.49, a blended $10.74 and a 15 percent apply rate. The all-role median is $13.88.
A 15 percent apply rate means most tradespeople who click do not finish the form. Across the benchmark, applicant conversion explains about 70 percent of the variation in cost per applicant. For this trade, a form that asks two things (years hanging, commercial or residential) and offers a text-back beats a resume upload. Cost per applicant is not cost per hire.
Staffing the rest of the crew? See the carpenter, painter, insulation installer, construction laborer and flooring installer job descriptions, and how to recruit construction workers for the hiring side.
The job description is not the job ad
The template is the document. The ad has to get a working hanger who was not looking to stop scrolling.
- First line: pay type and range, project type and area.
- Say “helpers welcome, we train” if it is true. It widens the pool more than any other line.
- Say whether work runs year-round.
- Let them apply by text or a short form, and call back the same day. Crews fill fast.
More in job ad copywriting and the construction labor shortage.
Frequently asked questions
What does a drywall installer do?
A drywall installer measures, cuts and hangs wallboard on wood or metal framing, cuts openings for outlets, windows and fixtures, and often frames metal studs and ceiling grids and installs acoustical ceilings. Taping and finishing the seams is a separate trade in federal data, though many crews do both.
What are drywall installer duties?
Reading plans and laying out walls and ceilings, measuring and cutting panels, hanging drywall with screws, nails or adhesive, framing metal studs and ceiling grids, installing fire-rated or moisture-resistant assemblies, installing acoustical tile, removing old drywall on renovations, coordinating with other trades and working safely at height.
What is the difference between a drywall installer and a drywall finisher?
An installer, or hanger, hangs the board. A finisher, or taper, applies tape and joint compound and sands the joints smooth. BLS counts them as separate occupations; tapers had a higher median wage in May 2025, $68,270 against $58,930 for installers.
How much do drywall installers make?
Drywall and ceiling tile installers had a median wage of $58,930 a year, about $28.33 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,460 and the highest 10 percent more than $102,010. Nonresidential building construction paid a $67,180 median.
What qualifications does a drywall installer need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training. Most workers learn by helping experienced installers, with initial training typically up to 12 months. Apprenticeships last 2 to 4 years. What matters most is physical ability, basic tools and reliable transportation.
Is drywall installation a growing trade?
Employment is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, from 102,200 to 104,700 installers. BLS projects about 6,600 openings a year for installers, mostly to replace people who change occupations or retire.
How physically demanding is drywall work?
Very. O*NET reports that 92 percent stand continually, 72 percent work in high places every day and 47 percent climb ladders or scaffolds continually. The OOH notes workers often lift and maneuver heavy wallboard. State the physical demands and the equipment you provide.
How much does it cost to recruit a drywall installer?
On Meta, the skilled trades role family in our 2026 benchmark had a median cost per applicant of $14.14, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.58 and $21.49 and a 15 percent apply rate. The all-role median was $13.88.
Related job descriptions
Hiring drywall installers?
The description is the document. Getting it in front of hangers who are not on a job board is the part we do.
Wage, employment, projection, industry, training and work-environment data for drywall and ceiling tile installers (SOC 47-2081) and tapers (47-2082): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers and Tapers, last modified 27 August 2026; May 2025 OEWS wages, 2025 employment and 2025–35 projections. Installer openings, typical education and training: BLS Employment Projections Table 1.2, 2025–35. Tasks, job titles, hourly median, education survey and work context: O*NET OnLine 47-2081.00. Read at source 24 September 2026. Cost-per-applicant figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months.