How much do tile setters make in 2026?
Tile setters are counted in the BLS tile and stone setters series: OEWS May 2025 gives the SOC 47-2044 national median as $55,690 a year ($26.77 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $37,140 and the top 10% at $86,110. The trade has one of the healthier growth projections in construction at 10.1% through 2034, and its internal pay ladder is unusually clear. Straightforward floor and wall tile in residential work sits in the lower and middle band, often priced per square foot. Above it sit three specialisms that reward technical competence rather than speed: waterproofing and shower assemblies, where the installer carries responsibility for a system that fails expensively and invisibly; large-format tile and thin porcelain panels, which demand substrate flatness, lippage control and handling skill that most setters lack; and natural stone, where cutting, fabrication, book-matching and finishing move the work toward a craft rate. Commercial and institutional tile work adds specification and inspection discipline. Self-employment is common, so the upper band mixes skilled employees with owner-operators. Employment is projected to grow 10.1% through 2034 with roughly 4,200 openings a year. → Full tile setter career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $55,690 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Tile Setters earn a national median $55,690/yr ($26.77/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2044); the P10 to P90 range is $37,140 to $86,110.
- Tile and stone setters have a dedicated BLS series: a $55,690 median inside a $37,140 to $86,110 band, with a strong 10.1% projected growth rate.
- Three specialisms drive the upper band — waterproofing and shower assemblies, large-format tile and thin panels, and natural stone work — all of which reward technical control over speed.
- Self-employment is widespread, so the top of the distribution blends highly skilled installers with owner-operators capturing business margin.
US Tile Setter Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do tile setters earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 47-2044; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2044, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a tile setter earn at each career stage?
Tile pay rises with substrate and waterproofing competence and with format and material difficulty. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 47-2044.
By State
Which states pay tile setters the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Tile earnings track renovation spending and housing value more than state wage levels: markets with high-value remodelling and hospitality construction support specialist rates, while volume housing markets price installation per square foot at tighter margins.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($64,040), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay tile setters the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Metro premiums are real in this trade because high-end residential renovation, hotels and restaurants concentrate there, and those clients specify large-format material, waterproofing warranties and stone work rather than the cheapest install.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a tile setter’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does tile setter pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Tile Setters sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify tile setter wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a tile setter actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Tile Setter Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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