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Carpet installer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$50,340median pay per year, or $24.20 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,450lowest 10% earn less
  2. $41,97025th percentile
  3. $50,340median
  4. $66,32075th percentile
  5. $82,140top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

A carpet installer had a median pay of $50,340 a year in May 2025, close to the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to fall 16.4% by 2035, as other floor coverings replace carpet[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
-16.4%[3]
Openings per year
700[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do carpet installers make?

In May 2025 the median wage for carpet installers was $50,340 a year, or $24.20 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more than that, and half earned less[1]. The average was $56,990 a year, or $27.40 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[2].

Pay varies a lot from worker to worker. Here are the yearly and hourly percentile wages:

Group Yearly Hourly
Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[5][9] $35,450 $17.05
Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[5][9] $41,970 $20.18
Highest-paid 25% earned more than[5][9] $66,320 $31.89
Highest-paid 10% earned more than[5][9] $82,140 $39.49

These are boundary points in the pay scale. BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

The figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11]. About 21% of carpet installers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

New Jersey had the highest median pay among states at $115,180 (390 jobs), followed by Minnesota at $85,910 and Alaska at $76,790[13].

California had the most carpet installer jobs at 2,270[14]. Texas had 810, Nevada and New York each had 710, and Illinois had 580[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[15], Reno, NV had the highest median at $78,080[15], followed by St. Louis, MO-IL at $71,020[15]. The metro area with the most jobs was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA with 790 jobs and a median of $54,080[16].

Show median pay in 45 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[13]$115,180390
Minnesota$85,910n/a
Alaska$76,79070
Tennessee$74,51050
Nevada$67,040710
New Hampshire$65,60060
Missouri$63,960230
Wisconsin$60,830420
Hawaii$58,710n/a
Kansas$57,92070
Oregon$57,800520
Maryland$57,030250
Iowa$55,920n/a
Vermont$54,83030
Washington$54,830470
California$54,4402,270
Ohio$54,370310
New Mexico$52,70060
New York$52,160710
Idaho$51,550170
Colorado$51,280190
Nebraska$50,600n/a
Delaware$50,35070
Indiana$49,640190
Illinois$49,480580
Louisiana$49,400100
Connecticut$49,23040
Virginia$48,920210
Michigan$48,790470
Florida$48,580550
Georgia$48,260530
Massachusetts$47,930n/a
Arizona$47,920260
Alabama$46,600190
Pennsylvania$46,030490
Utah$44,480240
Montana$43,840150
Texas$43,610810
Oklahoma$42,49050
South Dakota$40,42080
Kentucky$37,800130
Arkansas$37,39050
Mississippi$36,590180
West Virginia$36,22050
South Carolina$33,81080

How to become a carpet installer

The training details here come from a BLS profile that covers flooring installers and tile and stone setters, a wider group than carpet installers alone[17].

Some workers learn the trade through an apprenticeship that lasts 2 to 4 years[21]. It combines technical instruction with paid on-the-job training. Topics can include math, building codes, safety and blueprint reading[21]. After an apprenticeship, workers are considered journey workers and can do duties on their own[21].

Several organizations offer certification. It is not required, but it shows mastery of specific skills[22].

In an O*NET survey of 27 workers, 69% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required and 22% said less than a high school diploma[23]. Art and math classes in high school may help[24].

What carpet installers do

O*NET describes the job as laying carpet from rolls or blocks, and installing padding and trim[25]. Typical tasks include:

BLS also says detail work and math matter. Installers use math to measure the area and figure out the material, and they need to be exacting so patterns line up[27][28]. They must also be able to tell small color differences in patterns[29].

Where they work

In the wider flooring and tile group, specialty trade contractors were the largest employer, at 58% in 2025[30].

The work is physically demanding. Installers spend much of their time reaching, bending and kneeling, and they typically wear kneepads. They also use eye and dust protection when tools create dust[31]. BLS reports that carpet installers are among the occupations with the highest injury and illness rates[32].

Work is usually full time, though schedules vary. In commercial settings, installers may work evenings and weekends so they do not disturb business hours[33]. Customer service matters too, especially when working in customers' homes[34].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment for carpet installers will fall 16.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 17,400 jobs to 14,500, a change of 2,800 jobs[3]. For all occupations, BLS projects growth of 3.5% over the same period[35]. BLS names one factor behind the drop: other floor coverings are replacing carpet[4].

Even so, BLS projects about 700 openings a year on average[6]. Openings also count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[36].

The OEWS wage data counted about 13,780 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[37]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[3]. The two numbers measure different things.

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a low barrier to entry. No formal education is required and training happens on the job[7]. Pay was close to the all-occupations median, with a wide spread between the lowest and highest earners[1][2][5]. The work is physically demanding and has high injury rates[31][32]. The biggest question mark is demand. Employment is projected to fall sharply, though some openings still appear each year[3][6]. Related floor and tile jobs such as Tile and Stone Setters had a projected change of +9.8%[38].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[38].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a carpet installer make an hour?
The median wage was $24.20 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $27.40[1][8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $17.05 an hour[9].
How much does a carpet installer make a year?
The median was $50,340 a year, compared with $50,980 for all occupations[1][2].
Do you need a degree to be a carpet installer?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry and short-term on-the-job training[7].
Is carpet installing in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 16.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][35]. BLS still projects about 700 openings a year[6].
What is the highest paying state for carpet installers?
New Jersey had the highest median at $115,180, followed by Minnesota at $85,910[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Carpet Installers in the US was $50,340 per year and $24.20 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Carpet Installers is projected to decline 16.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 17,400 to 14,500 jobs (a change of -2,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Carpet Installers: Demand change - share decreases as other floor coverings replace carpet. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Carpet Installers: 10th percentile $35,450, 25th percentile $41,970, 75th percentile $66,320, 90th percentile $82,140. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 700 openings for Carpet Installers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Carpet Installers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Carpet Installers was $56,990 per year and $27.40 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Carpet Installers: 10th percentile $17.05, 25th percentile $20.18, 75th percentile $31.89, 90th percentile $39.49. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 21% of Carpet Installers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Carpet Installers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Carpet Installers jobs: California 2,270; Texas 810; Nevada 710; New York 710; Illinois 580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Carpet Installers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Reno, NV $78,080; St. Louis, MO-IL $71,020; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $64,590; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $61,500; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $58,500; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $57,840; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $57,540; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $57,030. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Carpet Installers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 790 (median $54,080); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 620 (median $64,590); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 500 (median $54,850); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 360 (median $57,840); San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 320 (median $57,540); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 290 (median $61,500). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters" covers Carpet Installers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Certification. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 47-2041.00 survey of workers (27 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 69%, Less than a High School Diploma 22%, Some College Courses 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. O*NET description of Carpet Installers. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Carpet Installers. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of flooring installers and tile and stone setters in 2025: Specialty trade contractors 58%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Carpet Installers: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  37. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 13,780 people were employed as Carpet Installers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  38. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.