Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
National median · BLS
$55,690
▲ +6.6%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$59,250
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
35,850
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Tile and Stone Setters
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$37,140
25th
$45,200
Median (50th)
$55,690
75th
$70,220
90th — top pay
$86,110
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Tile and Stone Setters
BLS projects employment of tile and stone setters to grow 9.8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 3,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
45,200 → 49,600
+4,400 jobs
Projected change
+9.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
21.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What tile and stone setters do
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.
Also called
Tile and Marble InstallerTile InstallerTile MechanicTile SetterCeramic Tile MechanicCeramic Tile SetterTile and Marble SetterTile FinisherTile ManTile Mason
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Tile and Stone Setters, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $55,690.
