47 Series · SOC 47-2044
Tile and Stone Setters Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $55,690
- Median / year
- $86,110
- Top 10% earn
- +10.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 35,850
- US workers
Tile and Stone Setters earn a median of $55,690 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $55,690, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,140 (10th percentile) to $86,110 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 35,850 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($81,150), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Tile and Stone Setters earn a median of $55,690, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 41% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #35 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 10.1% by 2033.
- $55,690
- Median annual wage
- Top 59%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #35 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $81,150. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Tile and Stone Setters (SOC 47-2044) pays a national median of $55,690 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,140 at the 10th percentile to $86,110 at the 90th, with a mean of $59,250 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 35,850 Americans work in this occupation across 47 reporting states and 141 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +10.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,200 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 long-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. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $81,150, which is +46% above the national figure. The top metro is Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA at $88,730 - 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
$55,690
per year
Median Hourly
$26.77/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$59,250
average
Employment
35,850
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Tile and Stone Setters pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$55,690 Bottom 41% higher than 41% 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 Tile and Stone Setters; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 47-series occupations with growth data, Tile and Stone Setters sits on the faster-growing side at +10.1% growth and $55,690 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+10.1%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
4,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Long-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 Tile and Stone Setters roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.
- ▸ Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
- ▸ Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.
- ▸ Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern.
- ▸ Mix, apply, and spread plaster, concrete, mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives to form a bed for the tiles, using brush, trowel and screed.
- ▸ Study blueprints and examine surface to be covered to determine amount of material needed.
- ▸ Measure and mark surfaces to be tiled, following blueprints.
- ▸ Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.
- ▸ Apply mortar to tile back, position the tile, and press or tap with trowel handle to affix tile to base.
- ▸ Mix and apply mortar or cement to edges and ends of drain tiles to seal halves and joints.
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
$37,140
25th Percentile
$45,200
Median
$55,690
75th Percentile
$70,220
90th Percentile
$86,110
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 47 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $81,150 | +46% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $79,270 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $77,920 | +40% above national |
| 4 | Maine | $70,720 | +27% above national |
| 5 | Minnesota | $70,560 | +27% above national |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $70,230 | +26% above national |
| 7 | Illinois | $67,160 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Connecticut | $63,150 | +13% above national |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $62,680 | +13% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $62,370 | +12% above national |
| 11 | New York | $61,260 | +10% above national |
| 12 | Nevada | $61,200 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Missouri | $60,590 | +9% above national |
| 14 | Nebraska | $59,350 | +7% above national |
| 15 | California | $58,880 | +6% above national |
| 16 | Oregon | $58,790 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Montana | $58,670 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Colorado | $57,690 | +4% above national |
| 19 | Vermont | $55,890 | same as national |
| 20 | Kansas | $54,920 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Iowa | $54,350 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Arizona | $52,000 | 7% below national |
| 23 | West Virginia | $50,900 | 9% below national |
| 24 | South Dakota | $50,640 | 9% below national |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $49,900 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Utah | $49,340 | 11% below national |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $49,170 | 12% below national |
| 28 | Virginia | $48,880 | 12% below national |
| 29 | Indiana | $48,450 | 13% below national |
| 30 | Michigan | $47,950 | 14% below national |
| 31 | Idaho | $47,940 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Georgia | $47,840 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $47,380 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Florida | $47,280 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Texas | $47,030 | 16% below national |
| 36 | Ohio | $46,140 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Maryland | $45,670 | 18% below national |
| 38 | Alabama | $44,800 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Louisiana | $44,750 | 20% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $44,650 | 20% below national |
| 41 | New Mexico | $44,550 | 20% below national |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $44,340 | 20% below national |
| 43 | Tennessee | $43,570 | 22% below national |
| 44 | South Carolina | $43,510 | 22% below national |
| 45 | North Dakota | $42,620 | 23% below national |
| 46 | Mississippi | $39,130 | 30% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $38,980 | 30% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 141 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $88,730 | +59% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $86,850 | +56% above national |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $82,230 | +48% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79,040 | +42% above national |
| 5 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $74,670 | +34% above national |
| 6 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $73,860 | +33% above national |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $71,750 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Visalia, CA | $71,280 | +28% above national |
| 9 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $70,730 | +27% above national |
| 10 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $69,990 | +26% above national |
| 11 | Springfield, MA | $67,070 | +20% above national |
| 12 | Lancaster, PA | $66,130 | +19% above national |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $65,750 | +18% above national |
| 14 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $65,580 | +18% above national |
| 15 | Madison, WI | $64,930 | +17% above national |
| 16 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $64,430 | +16% above national |
| 17 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $64,330 | +16% above national |
| 18 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $64,160 | +15% above national |
| 19 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $64,000 | +15% above national |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,640 | +14% above national |
| 21 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $63,540 | +14% above national |
| 22 | New Haven, CT | $62,750 | +13% above national |
| 23 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,580 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $61,900 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Green Bay, WI | $61,790 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Rochester, NY | $61,710 | +11% above national |
| 27 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,410 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,040 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Evansville, IN | $60,590 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $60,490 | +9% above national |
| 31 | Syracuse, NY | $60,290 | +8% above national |
| 32 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $60,010 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,770 | +7% above national |
| 34 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $59,700 | +7% above national |
| 35 | Bozeman, MT | $59,230 | +6% above national |
| 36 | Salem, OR | $58,970 | +6% above national |
| 37 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58,970 | +6% above national |
| 38 | Worcester, MA | $58,930 | +6% above national |
| 39 | Grand Junction, CO | $58,680 | +5% above national |
| 40 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $58,680 | +5% above national |
| 41 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $58,670 | +5% above national |
| 42 | Reno, NV | $58,650 | +5% above national |
| 43 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $58,600 | +5% above national |
| 44 | Salinas, CA | $58,430 | +5% above national |
| 45 | Carson City, NV | $58,380 | +5% above national |
| 46 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $58,250 | +5% above national |
| 47 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58,240 | +5% above national |
| 48 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $58,090 | +4% above national |
| 49 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $58,070 | +4% above national |
| 50 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $57,670 | +4% above national |
| 51 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $57,630 | +3% above national |
| 52 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $57,290 | +3% above national |
| 53 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $57,100 | +3% above national |
| 54 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $56,250 | +1% above national |
| 55 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $55,890 | same as national |
| 56 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $55,550 | same as national |
| 57 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $54,850 | 2% below national |
| 58 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $54,430 | 2% below national |
| 59 | Fresno, CA | $54,310 | 2% below national |
| 60 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $54,250 | 3% below national |
| 61 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $53,500 | 4% below national |
| 62 | Fargo, ND-MN | $53,460 | 4% below national |
| 63 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $52,760 | 5% below national |
| 64 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $52,640 | 5% below national |
| 65 | Colorado Springs, CO | $52,210 | 6% below national |
| 66 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $51,850 | 7% below national |
| 67 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $51,400 | 8% below national |
| 68 | Modesto, CA | $50,970 | 8% below national |
| 69 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $50,570 | 9% below national |
| 70 | Tucson, AZ | $50,550 | 9% below national |
| 71 | Medford, OR | $50,440 | 9% below national |
| 72 | Richmond, VA | $50,130 | 10% below national |
| 73 | Boise City, ID | $50,070 | 10% below national |
| 74 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $49,990 | 10% below national |
| 75 | Cleveland, OH | $49,910 | 10% below national |
| 76 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $49,880 | 10% below national |
| 77 | Bend, OR | $49,580 | 11% below national |
| 78 | Redding, CA | $49,350 | 11% below national |
| 79 | Asheville, NC | $49,190 | 12% below national |
| 80 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $49,180 | 12% below national |
| 81 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $49,160 | 12% below national |
| 82 | Wichita, KS | $48,520 | 13% below national |
| 83 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $48,460 | 13% below national |
| 84 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,290 | 13% below national |
| 85 | Chico, CA | $47,940 | 14% below national |
| 86 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $47,940 | 14% below national |
| 87 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,920 | 14% below national |
| 88 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $47,840 | 14% below national |
| 89 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $47,800 | 14% below national |
| 90 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $47,520 | 15% below national |
| 91 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,460 | 15% below national |
| 92 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $47,340 | 15% below national |
| 93 | Ogden, UT | $47,330 | 15% below national |
| 94 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $47,320 | 15% below national |
| 95 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,270 | 15% below national |
| 96 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $47,170 | 15% below national |
| 97 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $47,120 | 15% below national |
| 98 | Columbus, OH | $47,050 | 16% below national |
| 99 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $46,940 | 16% below national |
| 100 | Akron, OH | $46,760 | 16% below national |
| 101 | Huntsville, AL | $46,680 | 16% below national |
| 102 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $46,660 | 16% below national |
| 103 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,630 | 16% below national |
| 104 | Punta Gorda, FL | $46,560 | 16% below national |
| 105 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $46,500 | 17% below national |
| 106 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $46,480 | 17% below national |
| 107 | Gainesville, FL | $46,330 | 17% below national |
| 108 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $46,280 | 17% below national |
| 109 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $46,190 | 17% below national |
| 110 | Albuquerque, NM | $46,020 | 17% below national |
| 111 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $45,760 | 18% below national |
| 112 | Winston-Salem, NC | $45,760 | 18% below national |
| 113 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $45,630 | 18% below national |
| 114 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $45,500 | 18% below national |
| 115 | Jacksonville, FL | $45,440 | 18% below national |
| 116 | Birmingham, AL | $45,390 | 18% below national |
| 117 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $45,260 | 19% below national |
| 118 | St. George, UT | $45,120 | 19% below national |
| 119 | Ocala, FL | $45,110 | 19% below national |
| 120 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,100 | 19% below national |
| 121 | Toledo, OH | $45,090 | 19% below national |
| 122 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $44,930 | 19% below national |
| 123 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $44,860 | 19% below national |
| 124 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $44,690 | 20% below national |
| 125 | Oklahoma City, OK | $44,530 | 20% below national |
| 126 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $44,510 | 20% below national |
| 127 | Twin Falls, ID | $44,320 | 20% below national |
| 128 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $44,130 | 21% below national |
| 129 | Tulsa, OK | $44,130 | 21% below national |
| 130 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $43,720 | 21% below national |
| 131 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $43,710 | 22% below national |
| 132 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $42,700 | 23% below national |
| 133 | Springfield, MO | $42,210 | 24% below national |
| 134 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $42,200 | 24% below national |
| 135 | Lafayette, LA | $40,580 | 27% below national |
| 136 | Idaho Falls, ID | $38,250 | 31% below national |
| 137 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $37,450 | 33% below national |
| 138 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $37,010 | 34% below national |
| 139 | Santa Fe, NM | $36,930 | 34% below national |
| 140 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $36,740 | 34% below national |
| 141 | Las Cruces, NM | $34,970 | 37% 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 Tile and Stone Setters make? ▼
What state pays Tile and Stone Setters the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Tile and Stone Setters? ▼
How dangerous is being a Tile and Stone Setters? ▼
Is Tile and Stone Setters a good career? ▼
How does Tile and Stone Setters pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Tile and Stone Setters? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Tile and Stone Setters pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $70,220/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: Massachusetts leads at $81,150/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.