GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
Best States to Be a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a drywall and ceiling tile installers salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $104,830 BLS median worth $89,488 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 161.0).
Which US states are best for a drywall and ceiling tile installers after cost of living and tax?
For a drywall and ceiling tile installers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $104,830 BLS median becomes $89,488 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 161.0). Mississippi ranks last ($41,946, index 75.5). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Hawaii ranks #1 of 49 states for a drywall and ceiling tile installers. Index 100 = the average state; 161.0 means pay goes 61.0% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedDrywall and Ceiling Tile Installers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $104,830 | $6,437 | 110.0 | $89,488 | 161.0 |
| 2 | Alaska | $73,690 | — | 102.4 | $71,992 | 129.5 |
| 3 | Washington | $73,130 | — | 107.0 | $68,337 | 122.9 |
| 4 | Missouri | $62,580 | $2,060 | 90.8 | $66,639 | 119.9 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $75,080 | $2,600 | 108.8 | $66,614 | 119.8 |
| 6 | Oregon | $73,530 | $5,630 | 103.4 | $65,692 | 118.2 |
| 7 | Ohio | $61,420 | $907 | 92.8 | $65,227 | 117.3 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $69,500 | $3,255 | 105.8 | $62,639 | 112.7 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $59,970 | $2,026 | 94.1 | $61,580 | 110.8 |
| 10 | Montana | $60,140 | $2,410 | 94.6 | $60,996 | 109.7 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $61,160 | $1,878 | 97.6 | $60,758 | 109.3 |
| 12 | Illinois | $63,180 | $2,986 | 100.0 | $60,219 | 108.3 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $61,960 | — | 104.2 | $59,483 | 107.0 |
| 14 | Vermont | $59,820 | $1,585 | 98.0 | $59,449 | 106.9 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $61,290 | $2,679 | 98.6 | $59,431 | 106.9 |
| 16 | Maine | $60,080 | $2,441 | 97.0 | $59,391 | 106.8 |
| 17 | Michigan | $58,440 | $2,237 | 96.2 | $58,413 | 105.1 |
| 18 | Colorado | $61,780 | $2,058 | 103.1 | $57,953 | 104.2 |
| 19 | Georgia | $58,260 | $2,493 | 96.3 | $57,913 | 104.2 |
| 20 | California | $65,880 | $2,138 | 110.7 | $57,570 | 103.6 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $53,900 | $1,419 | 92.2 | $56,913 | 102.4 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $60,480 | $1,797 | 103.6 | $56,639 | 101.9 |
| 23 | Iowa | $51,030 | $1,899 | 87.8 | $55,982 | 100.7 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $48,850 | — | 88.6 | $55,144 | 99.2 |
| 25 | New York | $61,280 | $2,765 | 107.9 | $54,220 | 97.5 |
| 26 | Virginia | $55,840 | $2,411 | 101.1 | $52,846 | 95.1 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $47,420 | $1,048 | 88.2 | $52,572 | 94.6 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $48,620 | $1,432 | 90.1 | $52,371 | 94.2 |
| 29 | Nevada | $52,280 | — | 100.0 | $52,291 | 94.1 |
| 30 | Indiana | $49,810 | $1,464 | 93.3 | $51,801 | 93.2 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $47,510 | — | 91.9 | $51,714 | 93.0 |
| 32 | Alabama | $48,000 | $2,135 | 88.8 | $51,636 | 92.9 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $48,340 | $1,803 | 90.2 | $51,617 | 92.8 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $45,110 | — | 89.0 | $50,709 | 91.2 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $46,080 | $1,651 | 87.8 | $50,578 | 91.0 |
| 36 | Maryland | $54,680 | $2,265 | 105.0 | $49,939 | 89.8 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $44,550 | $1,529 | 86.9 | $49,485 | 89.0 |
| 38 | Utah | $51,020 | $2,321 | 98.9 | $49,258 | 88.6 |
| 39 | Arizona | $50,290 | $782 | 100.7 | $49,175 | 88.5 |
| 40 | Texas | $47,590 | — | 97.1 | $49,033 | 88.2 |
| 41 | Delaware | $50,170 | $2,108 | 99.8 | $48,155 | 86.6 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $43,990 | — | 92.7 | $47,459 | 85.4 |
| 43 | Florida | $48,970 | — | 103.4 | $47,353 | 85.2 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $45,340 | $1,204 | 93.7 | $47,079 | 84.7 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $45,080 | $1,374 | 94.3 | $46,335 | 83.3 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $47,110 | $1,167 | 102.3 | $44,919 | 80.8 |
| 47 | Idaho | $43,790 | $1,373 | 95.5 | $44,418 | 79.9 |
| 48 | Kansas | $39,890 | $1,426 | 90.1 | $42,705 | 76.8 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $37,310 | $836 | 87.0 | $41,946 | 75.5 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 49 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Hawaii, a $104,830 salary is worth about $84,855 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $11,531 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $93,299 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $118,337, a $33,482 gain over Hawaii.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $118,337 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $115,879 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $115,280 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $115,255 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $114,909 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $114,895 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $114,107 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $113,669 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $113,096 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $112,120 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $111,621 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $111,487 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a drywall and ceiling tile installers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a drywall and ceiling tile installers: a BLS median of $104,830 is worth $89,488 after the 2025 state income tax ($6,437) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 161.0 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a drywall and ceiling tile installers at $104,830, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 161.0). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a drywall and ceiling tile installers salary go least far?
- Mississippi ranks last of 49 states for a drywall and ceiling tile installers: a $37,310 BLS median is worth only $41,946 after tax and cost of living (index 75.5). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a drywall and ceiling tile installers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.