Construction and extraction
Tile and stone setters
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
Median pay
$55,690
Growth to 2035
+10%
faster than average
Openings a year
3,300
Time to qualify*
12 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Tile and stone setters
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Tile and stone setters: 42% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Ceramic Tile Mechanic · Ceramic Tile Setter · Tile and Marble Installer · Tile and Marble Setter · Tile Finisher · Tile Installer · Tile Man · Tile Mason
Outlook and AI
Tile and stone setters held 45,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 49,600 by 2035 (+10%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as tile and natural stone continue to gain share in overall flooring market sales.
Compare with
- Tile and stone setters vs. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Tile and stone setters vs. Terrazzo workers and finishers
- Tile and stone setters vs. Stonemason
- Tile and stone setters vs. Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters
- Tile and stone setters vs. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Tile and stone setters vs. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Tile and stone setters vs. Carpet installer
- Tile and stone setters vs. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Tile and stone setters vs. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Tile and stone setters vs. Plasterers and stucco masons