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Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.
Other titles employers use
Ceiling Installer · Dry Wall Installer · Drywall Finisher · Drywall Hanger · Drywall Installer · Drywall Mechanic · Drywaller · Exterior Interior Specialist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
- Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
- Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
- Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
- Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents.
- Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
Useful strengths
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
- Trunk Strength
- Extent Flexibility
- Near Vision
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.4 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.9 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.7 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Most employers do not ask for a formal credential. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 66%
- A certificate or some college 29%
- A four-year degree 5%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Office suite software
- Operating system software
- Project management software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Accounting software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 45,700
- Job openings each year
- 3,370
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 13.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 45,700 | 3,370 | 13.1% |
| Texas | 8,190 | 560 | 4.9% |
| Washington | 8,040 | 700 | 15.0% |
| Florida | 7,760 | 580 | 14.3% |
| New York | 5,380 | 10 | 1.9% |
| Arizona | 5,310 | 390 | 13.7% |
| Virginia | 4,000 | 270 | 2.6% |
| Utah | 3,500 | 280 | 24.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 3,050 | 210 | 3.7% |
| Oregon | 2,790 | 210 | 16.3% |
| Nevada | 2,720 | 190 | 9.2% |
| Idaho | 2,560 | 200 | 25.5% |
| Maryland | 2,230 | 150 | 5.2% |
| Colorado | 2,020 | 150 | 11.6% |
| North Carolina | 1,850 | 130 | 8.8% |
| Ohio | 1,640 | 110 | 1.9% |
| Indiana | 1,630 | 110 | 2.5% |
| Wisconsin | 1,540 | 110 | 9.2% |
| Tennessee | 1,500 | 110 | 14.5% |
| New Jersey | 1,350 | 90 | 4.7% |
| Michigan | 1,320 | 90 | — |
| Illinois | 1,070 | 70 | — |
| South Carolina | 1,030 | 70 | 2.0% |
| Kansas | 1,010 | 70 | 4.1% |
| New Mexico | 990 | 70 | 11.2% |
| Iowa | 950 | 70 | 9.2% |
| Minnesota | 950 | 70 | 5.6% |
| Alabama | 920 | 60 | 4.5% |
| Georgia | 910 | 70 | 12.3% |
| Nebraska | 890 | 60 | 8.5% |
| Missouri | 810 | 50 | 2.5% |
| Louisiana | 690 | 50 | 6.2% |
| Maine | 680 | 40 | −4.2% |
| Rhode Island | 680 | 50 | 9.7% |
| Massachusetts | 570 | 40 | 5.6% |
| Oklahoma | 520 | 40 | 4.0% |
| New Hampshire | 420 | 30 | 7.7% |
| Delaware | 410 | 30 | 7.9% |
| Arkansas | 390 | 30 | 5.4% |
| Kentucky | 390 | 30 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 370 | 30 | 15.6% |
| Mississippi | 350 | 30 | 20.7% |
| South Dakota | 320 | 20 | 10.3% |
| Montana | 260 | 20 | 18.2% |
| Connecticut | 220 | 20 | 15.8% |
| West Virginia | 210 | 10 | 5.0% |
| Wyoming | 210 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Vermont | 200 | 10 | 5.3% |
| Alaska | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| North Dakota | 80 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Rowan University
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Tuskegee University
- Degrees each year
- 12
- Admit rate
- 31%
- Annual cost after aid
- $35,000
Thomas Jefferson University
- Degrees each year
- 4
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $25,000
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Degrees each year
- 2
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Compare every college offering building/construction finishing, management, and inspection