🔧 Skilled Trades ↑ 4% growth · Average

Tile & Marble Setter

Tile and marble setters install decorative and functional tile in floors, walls, and countertops — transforming raw spaces into finished rooms. From luxury hotel lobbies to home bathroom renovations, skilled tile setters are always in demand and can build strong self-employment businesses.

$48,280 Median Salary

143K US Jobs

2–3 years Training

$0–$3,000 Typical Cost

Get the free Starter Kit → Find Schools

💰 Salary & Earning Potential

Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Figures represent national averages — local wages vary by state, city, and employer.

Tile setters typically earn $22–$45 per hour, or $46,000–$93,000 annually. Union tile setters on commercial projects earn $35–$60 per hour with comprehensive benefits. Custom tile setter specialists working on luxury residential projects earn $40–$75 per hour based on skill level and market. Tile setter business owners who build strong residential clientele earn $80,000–$160,000. Geographic market significantly affects wages — California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest pay substantially above the national median for tile and stone work.

Entry Level

$33,000

Median

$48,280

Experienced

$71,000

Want your state's salary? Select a state below to see local wage data, demand, and training programs.

📈 Job Outlook

Projected Growth (10yr)

Average

143K

Total US Jobs

Active positions nationwide

CTEF Certified Tile Installer

Required Credential

CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) + State License (varies)

Tile setters install ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, and mosaic tiles on floors, walls, showers, and exterior surfaces in residential and commercial buildings. The BLS projects faster-than-average employment growth for tile and stone setters driven by new construction, bathroom and kitchen renovation, and the growing preference for porcelain and natural stone surfaces in residential design. Large-format tile (24x48 and larger) installation is a growing specialty — requiring skill in substrate preparation, back-buttering, and flatness tolerance management. Union tile setters through IUBAC (International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers) earn excellent wages on commercial projects.

🎓 Training & Education

Typical Program

Apprenticeship or Vocational Training

Program Length

2–3 years

Typical Tuition

$0–$3,000

Work Setting

Residential homes, hotels, commercial buildings, hospitals

Tile setter apprenticeships through IUBAC joint apprenticeship programs typically run three years, combining classroom training in materials science, waterproofing, layout, and installation techniques with supervised on-the-job training. Non-union tile setters learn through employer on-the-job training and self-directed practice. The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) CTI (Certified Tile Installer) examination is the primary professional credential for tile setters — testing on TCNA Handbook installation standards, waterproofing, and material knowledge. Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) credentials in specific methods — large-format tile, shower liner installation, heated floors — demonstrate specialty competency.

🏆 Credential Required: CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) + State License (varies)

☀️ Day in the Life

A Tile Setter arrives at a high-end residential bathroom renovation — the client has selected a 24x48 inch large-format porcelain tile for the shower walls and floors, requiring careful planning to minimize grout joints and achieve a seamless floating-plane look. They begin by checking the shower substrate — cement board is installed over waterproofed framing — and applying a waterproof membrane over all seams and changes of plane with fabric tape and polymer membrane. They plan the layout, finding center and snapping lines to ensure the tile pattern is balanced on each wall. Mixing the large-format large-tile mortar with the correct consistency, they back-butter each 24x48 slab fully and set it in the adhesive bed, using a rubber mallet and tile float to achieve full contact — critical for large format tile to prevent hollow voids. Cutting large-format porcelain requires a wet saw with a premium blade — L-cuts, notches, and angle cuts must be precise. Grouting with an epoxy grout requires fast working in sections before the epoxy begins to cure.

⚖️ Pros & Cons

Pros

Immediate, beautiful, visible results of skilled craft: A beautifully installed shower or floor is immediately and permanently visible — tile setters take genuine pride in their finished work.
Strong residential renovation market demand: Bathroom and kitchen remodeling is among the most consistent renovation categories — tile setter demand is strong regardless of new construction cycles.
Business ownership with strong referral-based income: Excellent tile setters build loyal residential clientele through referrals — independent contractors earn strong margins on custom and luxury work.
Union commercial wages are excellent: IUBAC commercial tile setters earn top-tier trade wages with comprehensive benefits on institutional and commercial projects.
Large-format tile specialty commands premium rates: Large-format porcelain and natural stone installation requires advanced skill — clients and contractors pay premium for qualified installers.

Cons

Physically demanding kneeling, crouching, and lifting work: Tile setting involves sustained kneeling on hard surfaces, heavy material handling, and awkward body positions — progressive knee and back strain is a career concern.
Wet work and chemical exposure: Mortar, grout, and waterproofing membrane contact requires gloves and skin protection — chronic exposure without protection causes dermatitis.
Precision installation error is difficult to reverse: Grout joints out of alignment, lippage between tiles, or adhesion failures are expensive to correct — precision must be maintained throughout installation.
Seasonal residential market variation: New residential tile work is connected to home purchase and renovation activity — market slowdowns in housing affect tile setter income.