Tile and Stone Setters
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2044.00United States
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
- Median annual earnings
- $51,043
- Projected change
- +1%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 53.47K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
84.9% of the workforce
Growing to 54K by 2035
Explore this career by location
Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.
Showing United States
Loading available locations…
Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
Loading related ASU learning
The work
What tile and stone setters do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.
- Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
- Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern.
- Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.
- 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.
- Apply mortar to tile back, position the tile, and press or tap with trowel handle to affix tile to base.
- Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.
- Mix and apply mortar or cement to edges and ends of drain tiles to seal halves and joints.
- Apply a sealer to make grout stain- and water-resistant.
- Level concrete and allow to dry.
- Measure and cut metal lath to size for walls and ceilings, using tin snips.
- Prepare surfaces for tiling by attaching lath or waterproof paper, or by applying a cement mortar coat to a metal screen.
- Install and anchor fixtures in designated positions, using hand tools.
- Remove and replace cracked or damaged tile.
- Cut tile backing to required size, using shears.
- Remove any old tile, grout and adhesive using chisels and scrapers and clean the surface carefully.
- Cut, surface, polish, and install marble and granite or install pre-cast terrazzo, granite or marble units.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $30,585
- 25th percentile
- $39,434
- 50th percentile
- $51,043
- 75th percentile
- $69,244
- 90th percentile
- $95,468
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $51,043 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+1%average or slower
202553,467 jobs
2035 projected53,999 jobs
532 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 84.9%
- Some college
- 10.7%
- Certificate
- 4.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Tile Setters377 postings
- 02Installers271 postings
- 03Granite Installers214 postings
- 04Gutter Installers154 postings
- 05Contractors139 postings
- 06Granite Fabricators114 postings
- 07Landscape Installers99 postings
- 08Experienced Tilers96 postings
- 09Subcontractors84 postings
- 10Carpet Installers75 postings
- 11Managers/Installers71 postings
- 12Carpet Cleaning Technicians55 postings
- 13Cleaning Technicians44 postings
- 14Polishers44 postings
- 15Laborers41 postings
- 16Remodelers40 postings
- 17Siding Installers39 postings
- 18Lead Installers38 postings
- 19Bathroom Fitters37 postings
- 20Environmental Services Workers33 postings
Top employers
- 01All Funeral Services122 postings
- 02TruTeam63 postings
- 03Builder Services Group52 postings
- 04Cmh Homes45 postings
- 05Clayton34 postings
- 06Sims-Lohman33 postings
- 07Daltile Corp31 postings
- 08Emanouil Brothers22 postings
- 09Ambius20 postings
- 10Mohawk Industries20 postings
- 11Grazzini Brothers And Company19 postings
- 12Rentokil Initial18 postings
- 13Helion Group17 postings
- 14LeafFilter17 postings
- 15Premier Services Group16 postings
- 16Bath Concepts Independent Dealers15 postings
- 17Gqr12 postings
- 18Arlington HealthCare11 postings
- 19Express Employment Professionals11 postings
- 20Groundworks Operations11 postings
Keep looking