Statewide pay Government data
Drywall installers in Iowa earn a statewide median of $51,030 a year, 5% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #27 of 49 states. About 290 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Iowa
See all states on the drywall installers nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| DavenportIOWA · IA | $57,350 | $64,381 | 40 |
| Des MoinesIOWA · IA | $49,670 | $54,165 | 80 |
| Sioux CityIOWA · IA | $48,850 | $56,504 | 70 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
The job (national)
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.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 2.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,600 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, drywall installers have 187 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.2× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often drywall installers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Iowa Official source
The main state licensing office in Iowa is the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. It can point you to the right license for drywall installers.
Official Iowa licensing site ↗
Requirements for drywall installers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in Iowa
All trades in Iowa.