How Much Does a Tile Setter Make? (2024)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2044 · 3-year apprenticeship
The average tile setter earns $55,563 per year ($27/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $43,640 to $73,310 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $55,260 and top earners making $100,000+.
Yes — top-decile tile setters clear $100K in 2 of 26 metros
The 90th-percentile tile setter in Seattle, WA earns $100,000 per year ($48/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median tile setter pay nationally is $55,563 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Tile Setter salaries range from $43,640 to $73,310 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Tile Setter Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $73,310 | $55,260 – $100,000 | $49,201 | D | 610 |
| New York, NY | $72,840 | $39,240 – $123,400 | $38,952 | F | 2,630 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $63,460 | $46,380 – $77,770 | $68,978 | D | 180 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $62,610 | $48,550 – $70,810 | $59,066 | D | 0 |
| Portland, OR | $61,520 | $41,600 – $79,740 | $47,323 | D | 590 |
| St. Louis, MO | $61,060 | $40,220 – $76,320 | $67,844 | D | 280 |
| Denver, CO | $60,580 | $40,190 – $93,610 | $47,328 | D | 230 |
| Kansas City, MO | $60,400 | $41,950 – $79,690 | $64,255 | D | 330 |
| San Francisco, CA | $60,350 | $45,880 – $83,610 | $31,763 | F | 890 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $59,630 | $47,550 – $84,930 | $62,115 | D | 150 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,870 | $35,710 – $91,560 | $56,606 | D | 1,080 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $57,780 | $37,070 – $82,280 | $50,243 | D | 320 |
| Detroit, MI | $56,210 | $41,600 – $72,800 | $63,157 | D | 470 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $55,210 | $40,050 – $78,270 | $33,259 | F | 1,790 |
| Chicago, IL | $53,430 | $46,450 – $92,800 | $49,935 | D | 620 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $51,710 | $40,650 – $74,030 | $56,824 | D | 260 |
| Miami, FL | $51,500 | $32,040 – $72,960 | $42,213 | F | 1,020 |
| Tampa, FL | $49,650 | $27,230 – $71,290 | $49,158 | D | 720 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $49,530 | $31,610 – $79,300 | $47,625 | D | 1,180 |
| Columbus, OH | $48,700 | $37,820 – $64,180 | $52,366 | D | 140 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $48,340 | $36,010 – $70,940 | $46,932 | D | 1,240 |
| New Orleans, LA | $47,350 | $29,460 – $59,380 | $49,842 | D | 50 |
| Nashville, TN | $46,030 | $35,470 – $58,770 | $44,689 | F | 180 |
| Dallas, TX | $45,750 | $31,450 – $57,770 | $44,853 | F | 490 |
| Raleigh, NC | $45,180 | $36,490 – $61,230 | $45,180 | F | 110 |
| Houston, TX | $43,640 | $31,480 – $49,930 | $45,458 | F | 580 |
About Tile Setter Pay
Tile Setters earn a national median salary of $55,563 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $73,310 median, while Houston offers the lowest at $43,640.
Becoming a tile setter typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $55,260, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $100,000 or more. With -2% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a tile setter?
Step-by-step path: 3-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average tile setter salary is $55,563 per year ($27/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $43,640 to $73,310 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Tile Setters earn an average hourly wage of $27/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $27/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $48/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for tile setters at $73,310. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and -2% wage growth over 5 years, tile setter offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 16,140 jobs nationwide across 26 metro areas.
Becoming a tile setter typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $55,260 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.