Drywall Labor Cost in Minnesota
Minnesota sits in the upper half of the ranking, 13th of 49 (tied with New York), with installers earning a median of $29.46 an hour, 4% more than the US median of $28.33. New York shares that median, but Minnesota has the lower mean, $31.54 against $33.14.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 13th of 49 by median wage
Your estimate
4' x 8' sheets · 10% waste allowance4' x 8' drywall
Area
Materials
Cost breakdown
Quantities include a 10% waste allowance and standard deductions of 21 sq ft per door, 15 sq ft per window and 112 sq ft per garage door. The sheet count comes from laying the board out wall by wall, plus 10% as spare sheets. Round up when in doubt, an extra sheet costs less than a second trip.
How Minnesota compares
- Closest median wages
- New York $29.46, Pennsylvania $29.40 and Ohio $29.53
| State | Rank | Median | Against Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 11 | $29.70 | $0.24 more |
| Ohio | 12 | $29.53 | $0.07 more |
| Minnesota | 13 | $29.46 | this state |
| New York | 13 | $29.46 | same |
| Pennsylvania | 15 | $29.40 | $0.06 less |
A 12 x 12 room in Minnesota
| Low end, $1.25/sq ft | $660 |
|---|---|
| High end, $2.60/sq ft | $1,373 |
| New York | $686 to $1,426 | $26.40 more than Minnesota at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $607 to $1,294 | $52.80 less than Minnesota at the low end |
| Ohio | $607 to $1,267 | $52.80 less than Minnesota at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Minnesota labor for this room is $26.40 more at the low end, scaled from wages rather than bids (method). Also see the room's sheet count and its paint estimate.
What drywall workers earn in Minnesota
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $21.91 | $27.86 | $29.46 | $37.31 | $44.00 | $31.54 |
| Tapers | $34.73 | $37.54 | $37.54 | $39.16 | $42.97 | $38.43 |
| Installers, yearly | $45,573 | $57,949 | $61,277 | $77,605 | $91,520 | $65,600 |
| US installers | $18.49 | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $49.04 | $30.58 |
| US tapers | $21.00 | $25.35 | $32.82 | $42.57 | $51.50 | $34.96 |
Half of the installers in Minnesota earn between $27.86 and $37.31 an hour, for a mean of $65,600 a year. The location quotient of 0.67 means installers hold a smaller share of jobs in Minnesota than nationally, 67% of it. The mean, $31.54, and the median, $29.46, sit within 7% of each other. From the 10th percentile, $21.91, to the 90th, $44.00, installer pay spans $22.09 an hour, 72% of the $30.55 national spread. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $37.54 in Minnesota, 27% more than installers.