How much does drywall cost per square foot installed?
Typically $3.00–$3.26 per sq ft installed.
That's the contractor cost basis of $2.61 per sq ft (material $0.61 + labor $2.00) plus typical overhead & profit (15–25%). Region and spec move it further — confirm with local quotes.
Cost basis by region
Contractor cost basis (material + labor) — labor scales with local construction wages (U.S. BLS); material holds near the national commodity average across the contiguous U.S. Add the 15–25% overhead & profit above for a retail price. Your ZIP refines this in the estimator.
| Region | Cost basis per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Alabama (statewide) | $2.22 |
| Texas (statewide) | $2.26 |
| Florida (statewide) | $2.27 |
| Colorado (statewide) | $2.67 |
| United States | $2.61 |
| New York (statewide) | $2.97 |
| California (statewide) | $3.02 |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $3.21 |
| Illinois (statewide) | $3.32 |
What drives the cost
- Hang + tape + finish level (Level 4 vs Level 5)
- Ceiling height and access
- Corners, soffits, and detail work
- Material price for board and mud
Common questions
How much does drywall cost per square foot installed?
The contractor cost basis is about $2.61 per sq ft ($0.61 material + $2.00 labor). With typical overhead and profit (15–25%), a finished quote usually runs $3.00–$3.26 per sq ft. It's a budgeting benchmark, not a quote — confirm with local contractors.
Is drywall mostly labor or materials?
Labor is about 77% of the $2.61 per sq ft cost basis and material about 23%, which is why the local wage drives most of the regional difference.
What changes drywall cost the most?
The biggest factors are hang + tape + finish level (Level 4 vs Level 5), ceiling height and access, and your local labor rate. Higher-end materials, tear-off or prep, and difficult access push it above the baseline; use the estimator for your exact takeoff.
Related cost guides
Want a real number for your project?
Ask Donnie's estimator prices your actual takeoff against your ZIP — deterministic, itemized, with an AACE accuracy class. No fabricated numbers.
Try Ask Donnie →Cost-basis figures (material + labor) are built by the deterministic estimator from national-average material pricing (2026-01) and U.S. BLS OEWS 2025 construction wages (SOC 47-0000); regional figures scale labor by each state's BLS wage factor. A retail price adds typical contractor overhead & profit (15–25%). Benchmarks for budgeting — not a binding quote. Confirm with local contractor quotes before you commit. Source: seed (national avg), 2026-01.