47 Series · SOC 47-2042
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $56,460
- Median / year
- $96,700
- Top 10% earn
- +9.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 23,640
- US workers
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles earn a median of $56,460 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $56,460, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,600 (10th percentile) to $96,700 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 23,640 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($92,860), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles earn a median of $56,460, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 42% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #34 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 9.5% by 2033.
- $56,460
- Median annual wage
- Top 58%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #34 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $92,860. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (SOC 47-2042) pays a national median of $56,460 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,600 at the 10th percentile to $96,700 at the 90th, with a mean of $61,760 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 23,640 Americans work in this occupation across 44 reporting states and 86 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +9.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $92,860, which is +64% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $105,280 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$56,460
per year
Median Hourly
$27.15/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$61,760
average
Employment
23,640
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$56,460 Bottom 42% higher than 42% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles sits on the faster-growing side at +9.5% growth and $56,460 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+9.5%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
2,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.
- ▸ Cut flooring material to fit around obstructions.
- ▸ Inspect surface to be covered to ensure that it is firm and dry.
- ▸ Trim excess covering materials, tack edges, and join sections of covering material to form tight joint.
- ▸ Form a smooth foundation by stapling plywood or Masonite over the floor or by brushing waterproof compound onto surface and filling cracks with plaster, putty, or grout to seal pores.
- ▸ Measure and mark guidelines on surfaces or foundations, using chalk lines and dividers.
- ▸ Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
- ▸ Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
- ▸ Apply adhesive cement to floor or wall material to join and adhere foundation material.
- ▸ Determine traffic areas and decide location of seams.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$37,600
25th Percentile
$45,660
Median
$56,460
75th Percentile
$73,840
90th Percentile
$96,700
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 44 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $92,860 | +64% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $79,280 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Hawaii | $77,280 | +37% above national |
| 4 | Illinois | $69,880 | +24% above national |
| 5 | New York | $61,360 | +9% above national |
| 6 | California | $61,210 | +8% above national |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $60,050 | +6% above national |
| 8 | New Jersey | $59,840 | +6% above national |
| 9 | Ohio | $59,470 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $59,380 | +5% above national |
| 11 | South Dakota | $58,930 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Nevada | $58,540 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Florida | $57,020 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Washington | $56,800 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Oregon | $56,460 | same as national |
| 16 | Iowa | $54,960 | 3% below national |
| 17 | Missouri | $54,710 | 3% below national |
| 18 | Maine | $53,390 | 5% below national |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $52,860 | 6% below national |
| 20 | North Carolina | $51,700 | 8% below national |
| 21 | Vermont | $51,200 | 9% below national |
| 22 | Indiana | $50,720 | 10% below national |
| 23 | Virginia | $50,440 | 11% below national |
| 24 | Kentucky | $50,380 | 11% below national |
| 25 | Tennessee | $49,900 | 12% below national |
| 26 | South Carolina | $49,860 | 12% below national |
| 27 | New Mexico | $49,790 | 12% below national |
| 28 | Mississippi | $49,240 | 13% below national |
| 29 | North Dakota | $48,050 | 15% below national |
| 30 | Utah | $47,900 | 15% below national |
| 31 | Maryland | $47,880 | 15% below national |
| 32 | Connecticut | $47,210 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Michigan | $46,800 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Georgia | $46,030 | 18% below national |
| 35 | Colorado | $46,020 | 18% below national |
| 36 | Kansas | $45,970 | 19% below national |
| 37 | West Virginia | $45,390 | 20% below national |
| 38 | Arizona | $44,740 | 21% below national |
| 39 | Texas | $43,070 | 24% below national |
| 40 | Louisiana | $42,260 | 25% below national |
| 41 | Arkansas | $40,750 | 28% below national |
| 42 | Alabama | $38,730 | 31% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $38,030 | 33% below national |
| 44 | Montana | $37,710 | 33% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 86 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,280 | +86% above national |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $98,290 | +74% above national |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $92,860 | +64% above national |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | $80,970 | +43% above national |
| 5 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $79,290 | +40% above national |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,280 | +37% above national |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,970 | +33% above national |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $73,280 | +30% above national |
| 9 | Springfield, MA | $72,850 | +29% above national |
| 10 | Toledo, OH | $72,850 | +29% above national |
| 11 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $71,730 | +27% above national |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $70,370 | +25% above national |
| 13 | Worcester, MA | $70,340 | +25% above national |
| 14 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $69,610 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $65,560 | +16% above national |
| 16 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $63,970 | +13% above national |
| 17 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,200 | +12% above national |
| 18 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $63,170 | +12% above national |
| 19 | Reno, NV | $62,800 | +11% above national |
| 20 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $62,570 | +11% above national |
| 21 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,360 | +9% above national |
| 22 | Green Bay, WI | $60,470 | +7% above national |
| 23 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $59,990 | +6% above national |
| 24 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $59,500 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $59,410 | +5% above national |
| 26 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $59,220 | +5% above national |
| 27 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,090 | +5% above national |
| 28 | Cleveland, OH | $58,950 | +4% above national |
| 29 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $57,800 | +2% above national |
| 30 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $57,720 | +2% above national |
| 31 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $57,590 | +2% above national |
| 32 | Salem, OR | $57,140 | +1% above national |
| 33 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $57,020 | +1% above national |
| 34 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,950 | +1% above national |
| 35 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $56,150 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $56,130 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $56,040 | 1% below national |
| 38 | Vallejo, CA | $56,020 | 1% below national |
| 39 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $55,720 | 1% below national |
| 40 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $55,690 | 1% below national |
| 41 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $55,670 | 1% below national |
| 42 | Albuquerque, NM | $54,720 | 3% below national |
| 43 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $53,670 | 5% below national |
| 44 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $52,720 | 7% below national |
| 45 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $52,000 | 8% below national |
| 46 | Fresno, CA | $51,980 | 8% below national |
| 47 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $51,640 | 9% below national |
| 48 | Knoxville, TN | $51,480 | 9% below national |
| 49 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $51,050 | 10% below national |
| 50 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,960 | 10% below national |
| 51 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $50,730 | 10% below national |
| 52 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $50,140 | 11% below national |
| 53 | Rockford, IL | $49,980 | 11% below national |
| 54 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $49,970 | 11% below national |
| 55 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $49,930 | 12% below national |
| 56 | Ogden, UT | $49,860 | 12% below national |
| 57 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $49,550 | 12% below national |
| 58 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,500 | 12% below national |
| 59 | Madison, WI | $49,310 | 13% below national |
| 60 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $48,830 | 14% below national |
| 61 | Waco, TX | $48,630 | 14% below national |
| 62 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $48,520 | 14% below national |
| 63 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $48,280 | 14% below national |
| 64 | Fargo, ND-MN | $48,050 | 15% below national |
| 65 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,030 | 15% below national |
| 66 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $47,810 | 15% below national |
| 67 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $47,540 | 16% below national |
| 68 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,230 | 16% below national |
| 69 | Modesto, CA | $47,170 | 16% below national |
| 70 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $47,030 | 17% below national |
| 71 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $46,940 | 17% below national |
| 72 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $46,370 | 18% below national |
| 73 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,170 | 18% below national |
| 74 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $46,050 | 18% below national |
| 75 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,030 | 18% below national |
| 76 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $45,960 | 19% below national |
| 77 | Flint, MI | $45,630 | 19% below national |
| 78 | Bowling Green, KY | $44,800 | 21% below national |
| 79 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $44,740 | 21% below national |
| 80 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,320 | 22% below national |
| 81 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $43,950 | 22% below national |
| 82 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $43,020 | 24% below national |
| 83 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $38,870 | 31% below national |
| 84 | Tulsa, OK | $38,240 | 32% below national |
| 85 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,740 | 33% below national |
| 86 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $36,400 | 36% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles make? ▼
What state pays Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles? ▼
How dangerous is being a Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles? ▼
Is Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles a good career? ▼
How does Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $73,840/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $92,860/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.