Find Trade Colleges
Tile and Stone Setters: Job Description
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
What Tasks Do Tile and Stone Setters Perform?
Typical responsibilities of tile and stone setters cover:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful tile and stone setters rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Tile and Stone Setters Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Acoustical Carpenter
- Acoustical Installer
- Acoustical Material Worker
- Bathroom Fitter
- Ceramic Tile Installer
- Ceramic Tile Mechanic
- Ceramic Tile Setter
- Floor Tile Layer
Job Outlook
There are about 637,476 tile and stone setters working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Tile and Stone Setters
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $46,953 |
| Hourly median | $22.57 |
| 10th percentile | $33,901 |
| 25th percentile | $40,427 |
| 75th percentile | $53,479 |
| 90th percentile | $60,005 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Tile and Stone Setters Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $96,080 |
| Maine | $68,470 |
| Rhode Island | $64,980 |
| New York | $63,210 |
| Washington | $62,210 |
| Minnesota | $61,850 |
| Missouri | $60,450 |
| Vermont | $60,320 |
| Connecticut | $59,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,010 |
| Wisconsin | $58,850 |
| New Jersey | $58,760 |
| Nevada | $58,270 |
| California | $57,510 |
| Colorado | $57,130 |
| Kansas | $55,820 |
| Oregon | $54,380 |
| Illinois | $53,430 |
| Michigan | $53,430 |
| Iowa | $52,000 |
| Idaho | $50,550 |
| Montana | $50,440 |
| Nebraska | $50,220 |
| Indiana | $49,770 |
| Georgia | $49,460 |
| Ohio | $49,440 |
| New Hampshire | $49,150 |
| Utah | $48,790 |
| Arizona | $48,160 |
| Florida | $48,080 |
| Maryland | $47,980 |
| North Dakota | $47,020 |
| West Virginia | $46,590 |
| Kentucky | $46,120 |
| Louisiana | $45,610 |
| South Carolina | $45,100 |
| Delaware | $44,880 |
| Mississippi | $44,750 |
| South Dakota | $44,450 |
| North Carolina | $44,220 |
| Oklahoma | $43,620 |
| Texas | $43,530 |
| Alabama | $42,740 |
| Tennessee | $41,600 |
| Virginia | $41,520 |
| New Mexico | $38,920 |
| Arkansas | $37,950 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for tile and stone setters shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $60,979 | 12.7% | 1.05 |
| Far Western US | $59,492 | 30.7% | 2.09 |
| New England | $58,109 | 1.2% | 0.76 |
| Plains States | $56,697 | 5.1% | 0.78 |
| Great Lakes | $52,991 | 9.9% | 0.71 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,596 | 8.6% | 3.37 |
| Southeast | $46,289 | 21.6% | 1.43 |
| Southwest | $45,353 | 10.1% | 1.24 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $99,380 | 380 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $97,830 | 70 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $77,240 | 90 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $73,640 | |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $73,310 | 610 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $72,840 | 2,630 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $67,610 | 120 |
| Evansville, IN | IN | $67,220 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of tile and stone setters work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 31,210 | $55,160 |
| Manufacturing | 5,420 | $47,350 |
| Retail Trade | 1,480 | $52,700 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $47,690 |
Tile and Stone Setters work in the following industries:
Software Tile and Stone Setters Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of tile and stone setters reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
Getting Started in This Career
Typical tile and stone setters positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Primary-Long)
- Stonemasons (Primary-Short)
- Carpenters (Supplemental)
- Carpet Installers (Primary-Long)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Short)
- Floor Sanders and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Long)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future tile and stone setters typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2044.00 (Tile and Stone Setters).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.