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DrywallPlanner

Drywall Labor Cost in South Dakota

Ranked 33rd of 49, South Dakota pays drywall installers a median of $23.49 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.33. One rung up, Florida pays $0.05 more an hour; one rung down, Nebraska pays $0.11 less.

  • BLS May 2025 data
  • 33rd of 49 by median wage

By · Updated

Median installer wage$23.4917% below US $28.33
Rank by median33rdof 49 states
Labor per sq ft$0.95+estimate, up to $2.00
Installers on payrolls36035th 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 South Dakota compares

Closest median wages
Florida $23.54, Nebraska $23.38 and Kentucky $23.24
31st to 35th of 49 by median installer wage
StateRankMedianAgainst South Dakota
Indiana31$23.95$0.46 more
Florida32$23.54$0.05 more
South Dakota33$23.49this state
Nebraska34$23.38$0.11 less
Kentucky35$23.24$0.25 less

A 12 x 12 room in South Dakota

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
Florida$475 to $1,003$26.40 less than South Dakota at the low end
Nebraska$502 to $1,056same low end as South Dakota
Kentucky$475 to $1,003$26.40 less than South Dakota at the low end

Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, South Dakota 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 South Dakota

Hourly wage percentiles, South Dakota, BLS May 2025
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90thMean
Installers$20.39$23.07$23.49$27.92$28.55$24.40
Installers, yearly$42,411$47,986$48,859$58,074$59,384$50,750
US installers$18.49$22.81$28.33$35.69$49.04$30.58

Half of the installers in South Dakota earn between $23.07 and $27.92 an hour, for a mean of $50,750 a year. A location quotient of 1.49 puts installers 49% above their national share of jobs in South Dakota. The mean, $24.40, and the median, $23.49, sit within 4% of each other. Pay is tightly bunched, with just $8.16 between the 10th and 90th percentiles, against $30.55 nationally. BLS publishes no taper estimate for South Dakota.

Frequently asked questions

Drywall and ceiling tile installers in South Dakota earn a mean of $24.40 an hour ($50,750 a year) and a median of $23.49, 17% below the US median of $28.33. The middle half earn $23.07 to $27.92.