Construction and Extraction · Holland code RC

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.

Also called: Drywall Finisher, Drywall Hanger, Drywall Installer, Drywall Mechanic, Ceiling Installer, Installer, Metal Framer, Metal Stud Framer.

O*NET 47-2081.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $58,930; Middle half earn $47,440 to $74,230. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Less than a High School Diploma; 42% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

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.
Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
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.
Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
Speaking2.9 / 5
Monitoring2.9 / 5
Reading Comprehension2.8 / 5
Active Listening2.8 / 5
Mathematics2.3 / 5

Knowledge areas

Building and Construction4.5 / 5
Mathematics3.5 / 5
Mechanical3.3 / 5
Public Safety and Security3.2 / 5
Administration and Management3.1 / 5
Design3.0 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative16
Artistic22
Social3
Enterprising0
Conventional36

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

tiling supervisor · DE Polier Fliesen-, Platten- und Mosaiklegearbeiten/Polierin Fliesen-, Platten- und Mosaiklegearbeiten · FR superviseur de carreleurs/superviseuse de carreleurs
house builder · DE Rohbaufacharbeiter/Rohbaufacharbeiterin · FR constructeur de maisons individuelles/constructrice de maisons individuelles
terrazzo setter · DE Terrazzomacher/Terrazzomacherin · FR carreleur spécialisé en terrazzo/carreleuse spécialisée en terrazzo
roofer · DE Dachdecker/Dachdeckerin · FR couvreur/couvreuse
hardwood floor layer · DE Parkettleger/Parkettlegerin · FR parqueteur/parqueteuse
resilient floor layer · DE Bodenleger für Elastikböden/Bodenlegerin für Elastikböden · FR poseur de revêtements souples de sols/poseuse de revêtements souples de sols

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Plasterers (5321)38,800 employed
Construction and building trades supervisors (5330)53,100 employed
Floorers and wall tilers (5322)35,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.65. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (47-2081).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test