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DrywallPlanner

Drywall Labor Cost in Nebraska

Ranked 34th of 49, Nebraska pays drywall installers a median of $23.38 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.33. One rung up, South Dakota pays $0.11 more an hour; one rung down, Kentucky pays $0.14 less.

  • BLS May 2025 data
  • 34th of 49 by median wage

By · Updated

Median installer wage$23.3817% below US $28.33
Rank by median34thof 49 states
Labor per sq ft$0.95+estimate, up to $2.00
Installers on payrolls77023rd most of 49

Room dimensions

Room shape
Length
ft
in
Width
ft
in
Wall height
ft
in

Wall height changes the board layout. Compare 8 ft, 9 ft and 10 ft walls.

Surfaces & board

Sheet size

Openings & waste

21 sq ft each
15 sq ft each
16 x 7 ft, 112 sq ft
%
10% is standard
Cost estimateoptional
$
per 4' x 8' sheet
$
typical $1.20 to $2.50

Your estimate

4' x 8' sheets · 10% waste allowance
21sheets of
4' x 8' drywall

Area

Gross wall area416.0 sq ft
Less openings- 51.0 sq ft
Net wall area365.0 sq ft
Ceiling area168.0 sq ft
Total drywall area533.0 sq ft
With 10% waste586.3 sq ft

Materials

Joint compound85.1 lb2 × 4.5 gal box
Joint tape225 linear ft1 × 250 ft roll
Drywall screws575about 3 lb

Cost breakdown

Drywall board (21 sheets)$336
Finishing materials$65.00compound, tape, screws
Labor (hang & finish)$800
Estimated total$1,201

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 Nebraska compares

Closest median wages
South Dakota $23.49, Kentucky $23.24 and Florida $23.54
32nd to 36th of 49 by median installer wage
StateRankMedianAgainst Nebraska
Florida32$23.54$0.16 more
South Dakota33$23.49$0.11 more
Nebraska34$23.38this state
Kentucky35$23.24$0.14 less
Alabama36$23.08$0.30 less

A 12 x 12 room in Nebraska

384 sq ft of 8 ft walls plus 144 of ceiling
Low end, $0.95/sq ft$502
High end, $2.00/sq ft$1,056
The same room in the states with the closest median wages
South Dakota$502 to $1,056same low end as Nebraska
Kentucky$475 to $1,003$26.40 less than Nebraska at the low end
Florida$475 to $1,003$26.40 less than Nebraska at the low end

Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Nebraska labor for this room is $132.00 less 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 Nebraska

Hourly wage percentiles, Nebraska, BLS May 2025
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90thMean
Installers$17.86$21.64$23.38$28.70$30.09$24.64
Installers, yearly$37,149$45,011$48,630$59,696$62,587$51,260
US installers$18.49$22.81$28.33$35.69$49.04$30.58

Half of the installers in Nebraska earn between $21.64 and $28.70 an hour, for a mean of $51,260 a year. A location quotient of 1.41 puts installers 41% above their national share of jobs in Nebraska. The mean, $24.64, and the median, $23.38, sit within 5% of each other. From the 10th percentile, $17.86, to the 90th, $30.09, installer pay spans $12.23 an hour, 40% of the $30.55 national spread. BLS publishes no taper estimate for Nebraska.

Frequently asked questions

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in Nebraska earn a mean of $24.64 an hour ($51,260 a year) and a median of $23.38, 17% below the US median of $28.33. The middle half earn $21.64 to $28.70.