All careers › Tile and Stone Setters
Tile and stone setters: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $37,140lowest 10% earn less
- $45,20025th percentile
- $55,690median
- $70,22075th percentile
- $86,110top 10% earn more
Tile and stone setters had a median pay of $55,690 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 9.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +9.8%[2]
- Openings per year
- 3,300[5]
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential[6]
How much do tile and stone setters make?
The median pay was $55,690 a year, or $26.77 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The median splits workers in two: half earned more, half less[1]. The average was $59,250 a year, or $28.49 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,140 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $86,110[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].
| Measure | Annual wage | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3] | $37,140 | |
| 25th percentile[3] | $45,200 | |
| Median[1] | $55,690 | |
| 75th percentile[3] | $70,220 | |
| 90th percentile[3] | $86,110 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits[9]. That matters here, because 21.1% of tile and stone setters were self-employed in 2025[10].
Pay by state and city
Massachusetts had the highest median at $81,150, followed by Hawaii at $79,270 and Washington at $77,920[11]. Arkansas had the lowest median among the 47 states with published data, at $38,980[11].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Urban Honolulu had the highest median at $86,850[12]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue followed at $79,040, then Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at $74,670[12].
California had the most jobs with 8,250, then Florida with 4,070 and New York with 2,990[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area had the most jobs at 2,600, with a median of $61,410[14].
Show median pay in 47 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts[11] | $81,150 | 410 |
| Hawaii | $79,270 | 440 |
| Washington | $77,920 | 660 |
| Maine | $70,720 | 60 |
| Minnesota | $70,560 | 610 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,230 | 880 |
| Illinois | $67,160 | 730 |
| Connecticut | $63,150 | 230 |
| Wisconsin | $62,680 | 410 |
| New Jersey | $62,370 | 460 |
| New York | $61,260 | 2,990 |
| Nevada | $61,200 | 1,450 |
| Missouri | $60,590 | 470 |
| Nebraska | $59,350 | n/a |
| California | $58,880 | 8,250 |
| Oregon | $58,790 | 790 |
| Montana | $58,670 | 240 |
| Colorado | $57,690 | 870 |
| Vermont | $55,890 | 140 |
| Kansas | $54,920 | 310 |
| Iowa | $54,350 | 240 |
| Arizona | $52,000 | 1,060 |
| West Virginia | $50,900 | 50 |
| South Dakota | $50,640 | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $49,900 | 40 |
| Utah | $49,340 | 1,590 |
| Rhode Island | $49,170 | n/a |
| Virginia | $48,880 | 750 |
| Indiana | $48,450 | 540 |
| Michigan | $47,950 | 1,010 |
| Idaho | $47,940 | 570 |
| Georgia | $47,840 | 360 |
| Kentucky | $47,380 | 180 |
| Florida | $47,280 | 4,070 |
| Texas | $47,030 | 1,260 |
| Ohio | $46,140 | 670 |
| Maryland | $45,670 | 240 |
| Alabama | $44,800 | 260 |
| Louisiana | $44,750 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $44,650 | 680 |
| New Mexico | $44,550 | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $44,340 | 280 |
| Tennessee | $43,570 | 350 |
| South Carolina | $43,510 | n/a |
| North Dakota | $42,620 | 70 |
| Mississippi | $39,130 | 60 |
| Arkansas | $38,980 | 160 |
How to become a tile and stone setter
BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience as the typical entry point. It lists long-term on-the-job training[6].
The BLS training details come from a profile that also covers flooring installers, so it describes a wider group than this job[15]. Based on that profile:
- First: start working. People in this trade typically learn on the job, alongside experienced installers or as helpers[16].
- Next: take on harder work over time. New workers usually begin with simple tasks such as moving materials, and some helpers work as tile finishers before becoming tile installers[17].
- Then: consider an apprenticeship. Some people learn through a 2- to 4-year program that mixes paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction[18]. Entering one may require a high school diploma or equivalent[19].
Certification is available from several organizations. It is not required, but it shows mastery of skills[20].
In an O*NET survey of 17 workers, 48% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, and 37% said less than a high school diploma[21]. The survey is small, so treat these as a rough picture.
What tile and stone setters do
O*NET describes the job as applying hard tile, stone and similar materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops and roof decks[22]. Common tasks include:
- Lining up and straightening tile with levels and squares[23].
- Finishing joints and wiping extra grout off[23].
- Cutting tile to fit around obstacles and corners[23].
- Working out the best layout for a pattern[23].
- Mixing and spreading mortar or other adhesives as a base for tile[23].
- Reading blueprints and checking surfaces to work out how much material is needed[23].
- Measuring and marking surfaces[23].
- Setting mosaic tiles in decorative designs[23].
Where they work
The workplace details here come from the wider profile for flooring installers and tile and stone setters[15]. The work is physically demanding, with a lot of reaching, bending and kneeling. Workers typically use kneepads, safety goggles and dust protection[24]. Some related flooring workers have some of the highest injury and illness rates of all occupations[25].
Most people in that wider group work full time, though schedules vary. In commercial settings, evening and weekend work may be needed[26]. Specialty trade contractors employed 58% of the wider group in 2025[27].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 9.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 45,200 to 49,600 jobs[2]. For all occupations, the projection is 3.5%[28]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count of wage and salary jobs in May 2025 was about 35,850[29]. The two counts measure different things.
About 3,300 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[30]. BLS lists one factor behind the growth, which is tile and natural stone gaining a larger share of flooring sales[31].
Is it a good fit?
The median pay is above the all-occupations median, with a wide spread from the lowest to the highest paid[1][3][4]. Entry needs no formal education, but BLS lists long-term on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected well above the all-occupations rate[2][28]. The work is physically demanding[24]. Pay differs a lot by state, so local figures matter[11].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a tile setter make an hour?
- The median was $26.77 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $28.49[1][7].
- What education do you need to be a tile and stone setter?
- BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry education[6].
- Is tile setting in demand?
- BLS projects 9.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][28].
- Which state pays tile and stone setters the most?
- Massachusetts had the highest median at $81,150, ahead of Hawaii at $79,270[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Tile and Stone Setters in the US was $55,690 per year and $26.77 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Tile and Stone Setters is projected to grow 9.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 45,200 to 49,600 jobs (a change of +4,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Tile and Stone Setters: 10th percentile $37,140, 25th percentile $45,200, 75th percentile $70,220, 90th percentile $86,110. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 3,300 openings for Tile and Stone Setters 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
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Tile and Stone Setters: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Tile and Stone Setters was $59,250 per year and $28.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS Employment Projections: 21.1% of Tile and Stone Setters were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Median annual wage for Tile and Stone Setters in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Tile and Stone Setters (areas with at least 100 jobs): Urban Honolulu, HI $86,850; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $79,040; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $74,670; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $71,750; Visalia, CA $71,280; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $70,730; Pittsburgh, PA $65,750; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $64,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Tile and Stone Setters jobs: California 8,250; Florida 4,070; New York 2,990; Utah 1,590; Nevada 1,450. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Tile and Stone Setters jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,600 (median $61,410); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,170 (median $58,600); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,020 (median $64,430); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 990 (median $63,540); Salt Lake City-Murray, UT 970 (median $49,990); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 950 (median $48,290). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters" covers Tile and Stone Setters together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Certification. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 47-2044.00 survey of workers (17 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 48%, Less than a High School Diploma 37%, Some College Courses 11% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Tile and Stone Setters. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Tile and Stone Setters. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of flooring installers and tile and stone setters in 2025: Specialty trade contractors 58%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 35,850 people were employed as Tile and Stone Setters in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Tile and Stone Setters: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Tile and Stone Setters: Demand change - share increases as tile and natural stone continue to gain share in overall flooring market sales. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.