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Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $56,460 Median per year · $27.15/hr Most earn $37,600–$96,700

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.
  • Apply adhesive cement to floor or wall material to join and adhere foundation material.
  • Measure and mark guidelines on surfaces or foundations, using chalk lines and dividers.
  • Lay out, position, and apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors, walls, and cabinets, following guidelines to keep courses straight and create designs.
  • Determine traffic areas and decide location of seams.
  • Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 2,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)21.2%
  • Furniture and home furnishings retailers6.3%
  • Residential building construction2.8%
  • Other wood product manufacturing2.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Floor layer is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and learn the trade on the job, so you can often start working soon after graduating.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and take math, shop, or drafting classes, which help with measuring, cutting, and reading plans.

  2. Entry-level Floor Layer helper or apprentice

    0-1 year

    Start on a crew under an experienced installer, learning how to prep subfloors, measure, cut, and lay materials. Most people pick up the basics on the job, with no prior experience required.

  3. Floor Layer

    Ongoing

    Once you can measure, cut, and lay materials on your own with good results, you are working as a floor layer who installs blocks, strips, or sheets of floor coverings.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Floor Installer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of a crew, plan the work, check quality, and train newer installers. It takes strong skills and reliable work habits.

  2. Flooring Contractor

    5-10 years of experience first

    You run your own flooring business, bidding jobs, buying materials, and managing crews. It takes experience, customer skills, and business knowledge.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and geometry classesMeasuring areas, angles, and cuts is a daily part of laying floors.
  • Take shop, woodworking, or construction classesThese teach you to use hand and power tools safely and to read simple plans.
  • Find a summer or after-school job with a home improvement store or handymanWorking around building materials and customers gives you real exposure to the trade.
  • Help with home projectsHelping family lay tile, put in flooring, or repair floors builds practical skills you can point to later.
  • Join a skills or trade club, such as a construction or technical clubClubs like this often bring in local tradespeople and can lead to job tips and connections.

In college

  • Take math and basic construction or drafting coursesMeasuring, layout, and reading plans help you move faster on job sites, even if you don't finish a degree.
  • Get a part-time job on a construction or flooring crewHands-on work teaches you the basics of prepping floors and working with a team.
  • Look into a local trade apprenticeship or training programMany areas offer apprenticeships where you learn on the job while getting paid and some classroom instruction.
  • Earn safety training, such as a basic job-site safety courseSafety certifications show employers you can work responsibly on a crew.
  • Practice good customer service at any job you takeIf you plan to start your own business later, the ability to talk with clients and finish work on time matters a lot.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local flooring company, contractor, or home improvement store if they hire helpers or take on summer workers. Hands-on exposure is often the fastest way in.
  • Get good at basic measuring and math now, since accurate cuts and layouts are a big part of this job.
  • Build a safe-work habit early by learning to use tools carefully and wear protective gear, which employers value in new hires.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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