Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in the United States was $60,580 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $48,510 and $76,830.
Broader occupation Our title "Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2031 Carpenters. BLS groups Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer within Carpenters; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $40,410, half earned less than the median of $60,580, 90% earned less than $99,910 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,410 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $48,510 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $60,580 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $76,830 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $99,910 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $65,630 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $19.43, half earned less than the median of $29.12, 90% earned less than $48.03 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.43 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.32 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $29.12 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $36.94 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $48.03 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $31.55 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 670,090 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2031 Carpenters, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $51,570 | $45,040 to $60,980 | 10,100 | 0.83 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $52,130 | $46,960 to $60,960 | 6,010 | 0.96 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $49,750 | $43,950 to $58,750 | 5,360 | 0.88 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $50,820 | $44,320 to $60,340 | 2,680 | 0.84 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $74,300 | $60,160 to $98,080 | 34,210 | 0.84 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $74,300 | $60,160 to $98,080 | 34,210 | 0.84 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $48,740 | $43,640 to $57,000 | 9,480 | 0.54 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $49,670 | $46,600 to $60,190 | 9,600 | 0.68 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,440 | $58,770 to $113,970 | 14,220 | 0.73 |
How does Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-2031, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $50,560 | Annual | 70 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $50,560 | Annual | 70 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $60,930 | Annual | 50 |
| Construction | 23 | $60,950 | Annual | 570,980 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $61,570 | Annual | 312,950 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $60,600 | Annual | 204,290 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $63,780 | Annual | 108,660 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $62,600 | Annual | 29,800 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $61,810 | Annual | 7,760 |
| Land Subdivision | 237200 | $44,550 | Annual | 290 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $64,640 | Annual | 14,550 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $62,590 | Annual | 7,200 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $59,960 | Annual | 228,220 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $58,790 | Annual | 90,870 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $61,940 | Annual | 7,000 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $60,880 | Annual | 112,950 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $59,900 | Annual | 17,410 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $56,900 | Annual | 60 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $49,670 | Annual | 29,180 |
| Textile Product Mills | 314000 | $42,190 | Annual | 30 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | 314900 | $42,190 | Annual | 30 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $46,110 | Annual | 9,600 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 321100 | $39,520 | Annual | 60 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 321200 | $38,390 | Annual | 1,100 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $47,180 | Annual | 8,440 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $105,520 | Annual | 110 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $109,560 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $60,270 | Annual | 40 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $60,390 | Annual | 30 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $52,360 | Annual | 1,310 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $66,600 | Annual | 80 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $48,540 | Annual | 1,040 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $52,090 | Annual | 140 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $46,990 | Annual | 880 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $48,040 | Annual | 150 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $46,360 | Annual | 100 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $68,560 | Annual | 80 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $67,620 | Annual | 40 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $62,280 | Annual | 60 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $62,280 | Annual | 50 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $57,860 | Annual | 3,780 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $92,730 | Annual | 110 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 336200 | $61,520 | Annual | 540 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $91,450 | Annual | 70 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $76,640 | Annual | 110 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $56,210 | Annual | 2,890 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336900 | $57,960 | Annual | 60 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $54,610 | Annual | 11,620 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $54,520 | Annual | 11,580 |
| Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 337900 | $94,300 | Annual | 40 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $46,300 | Annual | 1,170 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $46,300 | Annual | 1,160 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $71,630 | Annual | 600 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $71,630 | Annual | 600 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $55,340 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $44,970 | Annual | 740 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $71,720 | Annual | 250 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 488300 | $83,770 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Support Activities for Transportation | 488900 | $42,640 | Annual | 460 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $47,760 | Annual | 230 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $47,760 | Annual | 230 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $58,340 | Annual | 4,640 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $56,940 | Annual | 2,990 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $66,440 | Annual | 1,650 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $65,300 | Annual | 1,610 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing | 532100 | $74,890 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $57,290 | Annual | 5,120 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $57,290 | Annual | 5,120 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $46,940 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $57,490 | Annual | 1,190 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $72,630 | Annual | 1,190 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $52,990 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $61,950 | Annual | 350 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $96,740 | Annual | 140 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 541800 | $59,650 | Annual | 180 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $52,000 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $60,430 | Annual | 2,030 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $67,600 | Annual | 1,100 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $63,870 | Annual | 750 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | 721200 | $50,210 | Annual | 30 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $58,940 | Annual | 1,350 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 811100 | $64,010 | Annual | 90 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $60,740 | Annual | 270 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $56,330 | Annual | 980 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Carpentry Foreman (47-1011)Carpentry Superintendent (11-9021)Bilingual Framing Foreman (47-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Carpenters. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | $95,280 | 120 | 0.64 | 2.08 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $94,310 | 3,120 | 1.62 | 1.65 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $91,970 | 260 | 1.46 | 2.02 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,200 | 14,010 | 1.37 | 1.20 |
| Decatur, IL | $87,220 | 180 | 0.9 | 1.70 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $84,970 | 280 | 1.79 | 1.37 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $84,430 | 650 | 1.6 | 1.56 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $82,110 | 700 | 2.19 | 1.42 |
| Napa, CA | $80,590 | 650 | 1.95 | 1.46 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $80,520 | 2,150 | 2.43 | 1.42 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $38,620 | 80 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| Albany, GA | $38,400 | 80 | 0.31 | 0.88 |
| Valdosta, GA | $37,840 | 40 | 0.18 | 0.97 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $35,640 | 250 | 0.37 | 0.98 |
| Guayama, PR | $33,410 | 30 | 0.56 | 1.32 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $33,160 | 130 | 0.58 | 1.31 |
| Ponce, PR | $31,200 | 240 | 0.88 | 1.16 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,530 | 2,350 | 0.79 | 1.04 |
| Arecibo, PR | $29,970 | 110 | 0.74 | 1.15 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $29,750 | 200 | 0.94 | 1.12 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National, the published median for SOC 47-2031, Carpenters, is $60,580 per year. The middle half of the Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National wage distribution runs from $48,510 to $76,830, a width of $28,320 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $74,300 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $75,740 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Carpenters, read alongside Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National, are Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) at $109,560 per year (NAICS 3250A1); Chemical Manufacturing at $105,520 per year (NAICS 325000); Scientific Research and Development Services at $96,740 per year (NAICS 541700). Those Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National median was $59,310 per year in May 2024, compared with $60,580 in May 2025, a published difference of $1,270. That Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $59,310 and $60,580 Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $60,580 per year for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National is broader: BLS groups Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer within Carpenters; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National buyer?
Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National has a published middle-half band of $48,510 to $76,830, a width of $28,320 per year, with median $60,580. An offer inside that Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National. Comparing those Carpenters tables with the $60,580 Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National?
Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National uses national industry rows for SOC 47-2031, not local sector-specific wages. Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) leads the selected sortable rows at $109,560 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National.
What changed between the releases for Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National?
Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National moved from $59,310 in May 2024 to $60,580 in May 2025. These Metal Stud Framer & Acoustical Ceiling Installer in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-2031. Published annual median: $59,310 (May 2024) and $60,580 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.