Drywall · LA

Drywall costs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09 · estimates only

How this market compares

Practical cut for New Orleans-Metairie: published OEWS wages for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, then the same estimating math we use everywhere. Mean hourly pay here sits about 24% below the national OEWS mean.

Mean Drywall pay here is $23.26/hr — national rank 158 of 209 areas that publish this occupation. Compared with other LA areas that report Drywall wages, this market is #2 of 2. Percentile spread: $13.86–$39.15. Median sits at $23.67.

Local employment for this SOC is roughly 50 workers (OEWS May 2025). Nationwide that occupation is about 83,080. How a few common projects pencil out against the national mid: Drywall Patch (small hole) mid estimate $109 here vs $138 U.S. (21% below); Drywall Installation mid estimate $1,718 here vs $2,145 U.S. (20% below).

Nearby / same-state markets worth checking: Baton Rouge ($24.55, 1.29 higher); Alexandria; Hammond.

Local tip: Local code, permit fees, and how busy crews are this month move numbers as much as wage rates do.

Sample project ranges

ProjectLowMidHigh
Drywall Patch (small hole)$35$109$337
Drywall Installation (default size)$681$1,718$5,569
Mean hourly wage
$23.26
Median hourly
$23.67
p10 – p90
$13.86 – $39.15

Getting quotes without the circus

  1. Screenshot our mid/low/high band.
  2. Ask three licensed, insured pros for written scopes.
  3. Compare exclusions — permits, haul-away, thermostats, flashing — before crowning a winner.

What usually moves the number

Rebates (verify; don’t trust a random Facebook ad)

Check IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE for any incentives that apply to this project. Start with IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE.

What this estimate can’t tell you. Roof pitch, an old house or code upgrades, tough access, permits, emergency or after-hours calls, and brand tier can push a real quote outside this range.

Check our math

BLS OEWS May 2025 · local hourly means the calculator uses

Drywall (47-2081)$23.26/hr mean

Source: official BLS OEWS data for this area · area index: oessrcma.htm.

Contractor markup (2.0× / 2.25× / 2.5×) and the regional materials factor are ours — see methodology.

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Gear people often ask about

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Thermostats

A decent thermostat won’t fix a bad install, but it can stop the short-cycling arguments.

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Water heaters

Tank, tankless, heat-pump — the sticker price is only half the story.

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Warranties & financing

Read the exclusions. “Full coverage” rarely means what the brochure implies.

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Monthly wage & cost note

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