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Skilled Trades

Tile and Stone Setters

Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.

Median salary (BLS)

$55,690

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $86k

Job outlook

+10% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Tile and Stone Setters

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Tile and Stone Setters" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Tile and Stone Setters

    Entry / Junior

    $37,140

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Tile and Stone Setters

    Established

    $55,690

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Tile and Stone Setters

    Senior

    $70,900

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.