Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer Salary in San Diego, CA
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $76,290 a year — 29% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $58,617 take-home, or $4,885 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median drywall and ceiling tile installer salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,954
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,730
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,106
- California income tax$2,891
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$992
- Take-home pay$58,617
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,410 | $23.27 | $39,494 | $3,291 |
| 25th percentile | $59,000 | $28.37 | $47,230 | $3,936 |
| Median (50th) | $76,290 | $36.68 | $58,617 | $4,885 |
| 75th percentile | $93,360 | $44.88 | $68,842 | $5,737 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $114,110 | $54.86 | $81,240 | $6,770 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $76,290 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median drywall and ceiling tile installer's $58,617 take-home pay has the buying power of $52,390 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 3.9× the national concentration of drywall and ceiling tile installer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for drywall and ceiling tile installers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #2 of 6 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $82,160 | $62,150 | $53,757 |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | $76,290 | $58,617 | $52,390 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $71,320 | $55,749 | $49,527 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $63,540 | $50,537 | $47,377 |
| 5 | Riverside, CA | $61,420 | $48,998 | $46,032 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $62,800 | $50,006 | $44,032 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 6 metros →
About the job: 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.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.5% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $82,160
- Sacramento, CA — $63,540
- Riverside, CA — $61,420
- Los Angeles, CA — $62,800
Frequently asked questions
How much does a drywall and ceiling tile installer make in San Diego, CA?
The median drywall and ceiling tile installer salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $76,290 a year, or about $36.68 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,000 and $93,360.
What is a drywall and ceiling tile installer’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $76,290 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $58,617 a year ($4,885 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,883 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a drywall and ceiling tile installer?
Pay here is 29% above the national median of $58,930. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $52,390 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #2 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a drywall and ceiling tile installer afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 50% of a median drywall and ceiling tile installer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $95,850
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $83,670
- Electrician — $76,160
- Carpenter — $73,200
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $72,510
- Construction Laborer — $57,180
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $55,970