Tile and Stone Setters earn a median of $55,690 per year ($26.77/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 9.8% through 2035, with about 3,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-2044
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Tile and Stone Setter in four numbers
- Median pay
- $55,690a year, or $26.77/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $86K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,30045,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202545.2K
- Projected 203549.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 45.2K Projected 2035 49.6K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school36.9%
- High school48%
- Certificate4.4%
- Some college10.7%
Highest education held by tile and stone setters Segment Value Less than high school 36.9% High school 48% Certificate 4.4% Some college 10.7%
Also advertised as: Ceramic Tile Mechanic, Ceramic Tile Setter, Tile and Marble Installer, Tile and Marble Setter, Tile Finisher, Tile Installer.
Pay
How much do Tile and Stone Setters make?
Every tile and stone setter in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$55,690
Middle half earn $45,200 to $70,220
- 10th
- $37,140
- 25th
- $45,200
- 75th
- $70,220
- 90th
- $86,110
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,140 |
| 25th | $45,200 |
| Median | $55,690 |
| 75th | $70,220 |
| 90th | $86,110 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $55,690
- Median hourly wage
- $26.77/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $59,250
- People employed
- 35,850
Versus all US occupations
At $55,690, Tile and Stone Setters earn 9% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,710 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $86,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,140, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 28% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $81,150, and still leads at $76,733 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Tile and Stone Setters the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $81,150 | $76,733 | 410 |
| 2Hawaii | $79,270 | $72,096 | 440 |
| 3Washington | $77,920 | $72,814 | 660 |
| 4Maine | $70,720 | $72,870 | 60 |
| 5Minnesota | $70,560 | $71,547 | 610 |
| 6Pennsylvania | $70,230 | $71,978 | 880 |
| 7Illinois | $67,160 | $67,188 | 730 |
| 8Connecticut | $63,150 | $60,950 | 230 |
| 9Wisconsin | $62,680 | $66,614 | 410 |
| 10New Jersey | $62,370 | $57,323 | 460 |
Job outlook
Is Tile and Stone Setter a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tile and Stone Setters | +9.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Tile and Stone Setters to change 9.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.8× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 4,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,300 openings are projected each year, 7.3% of the 45,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of flooring installers and tile and stone setters is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of flooring installers and tile and stone setters varies by occupation (see table).
The construction of new homes and the renovation of existing units will be the primary source of flooring and tile and stone installation over the projections decade.
Getting in
How to become a Tile and Stone Setter
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters typically need no formal educational credential. They learn their trade on the job, sometimes starting as a helper. Some learn through an apprenticeship.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as tile and stone setters.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)48%
- Less than a High School Diploma36.9%
- Some College Courses10.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate4.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 48% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 36.9% |
| Some College Courses | 10.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Tile and Stone Setter do?
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay and finish carpet, wood, vinyl, and other materials, such as ceramic, glass, marble, and granite.
Day-to-day tasks
- Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.
- Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.
- Remove any old tile, grout and adhesive using chisels and scrapers and clean the surface carefully.
- Remove and replace cracked or damaged tile.
- Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
- Level concrete and allow to dry.
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.
- Apply mortar to tile back, position the tile, and press or tap with trowel handle to affix tile to base.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most flooring installers and tile and stone setters work full time, although schedules may vary. In commercial settings, they may need to work evenings and weekends to avoid disturbing regular business operations.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Mathematics3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Monitoring2.8
- Active Learning2.4
- Learning Strategies2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8
- Instructing2.6
- Service Orientation2.6
- Quality Control Analysis2.6
- Social Perceptiveness2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.8 |
| Instructing | 2.6 |
| Service Orientation | 2.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Tile and Stone Setter?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Tile and Stone Setter |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.7
- Artistic2.5
- Investigative1.5
- Social1.3
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Tile and Stone Setter
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Floor Layer, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
$56,460median a year
Most earn $38K to $97K
+9.0%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Brickmason, Blockmason, Stonemason, and Tile and Marble Setter
$47,550median a year
Most earn $36K to $70K
−11.7%No formal credential - Production
- Construction and Extraction
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with tile and stone setters highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Tile and Stone Setter$55,690
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Tile and Stone Setter | $55,690 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Tile and Stone Setter appears on
Questions
Tile and Stone Setter: frequently asked questions
How much do Tile and Stone Setters make?
Tile and Stone Setters earn a median of $55,690 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 9% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $26.77/hr. The middle half earn between $45,200 and $70,220. The top 10% earn $86,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Tile and Stone Setter?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Tile and Stone Setters, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Tile and Stone Setter a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Tile and Stone Setter do?
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay and finish carpet, wood, vinyl, and other materials, such as ceramic, glass, marble, and granite. A core O*NET task: cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools. Employers most often ask for Customer relationship management CRM software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Tile and Stone Setters the most?
The highest state medians for Tile and Stone Setters are Massachusetts ($81,150), Hawaii ($79,270), Washington ($77,920) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Tile and Stone Setter?
O*NET scores Tile and Stone Setters highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.