Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $74,740 a year ($35.93 an hour), based on BLS data for 120 workers.
Pay ranges from $46,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,630 for the top 10%. That is 27% higher than the national median of $58,930. Pay here is 13% higher than the California statewide median of $65,880. There are 1.2 drywall and ceiling tile installers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $72,930, close to the median.
Pay range for drywall and ceiling tile installers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| 25th percentile | $61,880 | $29.75 |
| Median | $74,740 | $35.93 |
| 75th percentile | $83,200 | $40.00 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,630 | $40.21 |
| Average (mean) | $72,930 | $35.06 |
Half of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,228.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,114.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,874.62 |
| Weekly | $1,437.31 |
| Hourly | $35.93 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $74,740 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $84,410 | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82,650 | 700 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,160 | 2,510 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,430 | 1,960 |
| El Centro, CA | $78,020 | 90 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $76,290 | 3,220 |
| Salinas, CA | $73,650 | 160 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $73,520 | 450 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $67,060 | 180 |
| Modesto, CA | $65,770 | 400 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $64,370 | 440 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $63,760 | 650 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $63,540 | 2,500 |
| Merced, CA | $63,060 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $62,800 | 7,710 |
| Fresno, CA | $62,280 | 800 |
| Redding, CA | $61,870 | 100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61,420 | 3,640 |
| Chico, CA | $61,410 | 60 |
| Yuba City, CA | $60,970 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $46,600 | 300 |
Highest-paying states for drywall and ceiling tile installers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $104,830 |
| New Jersey | $75,080 |
| Alaska | $73,690 |
| Oregon | $73,530 |
| Washington | $73,130 |
| Massachusetts | $69,500 |
| California | $65,880 |
| Illinois | $63,180 |
| Missouri | $62,580 |
| New Hampshire | $61,960 |
See Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | $77,690 | $37.35 |
| Construction Laborer | $58,500 | $28.13 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $68,130 | $32.75 |
| Electrician | $76,610 | $36.83 |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | $62,400 | $30.00 |
| Roofer | $61,640 | $29.64 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $75,640 | $36.36 |
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $60,210 | $28.95 |
| Plasterers and Stucco Masons | $68,210 | $32.79 |
| Glazier | $58,970 | $28.35 |
| Tile and Stone Setters | $59,770 | $28.73 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installer | $69,550 | $33.44 |
| Stonemason | $59,620 | $28.66 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $87,180 | $41.91 |
More: Construction and Extraction Occupations · all salaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 47-2081. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a drywall and ceiling tile installers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for drywall and ceiling tile installers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $74,740 a year, or $35.93 an hour. Pay ranges from $46,850 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,630 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid drywall and ceiling tile installers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of drywall and ceiling tile installers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $83,630 a year. The top 25% earn $83,200 or more.
What is the starting pay for drywall and ceiling tile installers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $46,850 a year, and a quarter of drywall and ceiling tile installers earn $61,880 or less.
How many drywall and ceiling tile installers work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 120 drywall and ceiling tile installers are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.