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Tile and Stone Setters

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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

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 $55,690 Median per year · $26.77/hr Most earn $37,140–$86,110

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires, and brackets.
  • 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.
  • Prepare surfaces for tiling by attaching lath or waterproof paper, or by applying a cement mortar coat to a metal screen.
  • Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
  • Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
10% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 3,300 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)21.1%
  • Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing10.0%
  • Residential building construction4.0%
  • Masonry contractors3.4%

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

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

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: 6 months to 1 year

Tile and stone setting is an entry-level trade. You usually need a high school diploma, and most people get about 6 months to 1 year of hands-on experience, often as a helper, before working as a setter on their own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

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

  2. Tile Setter Helper

    6 months to 1 year

    Mix mortar, cut tile, carry materials, and learn layout and setting techniques from experienced setters on the job.

  3. Tile and Stone Setter

    Ongoing

    Install hard tile, stone, and similar materials on walls, floors, countertops, and other surfaces, working with supervisors or on your own jobs.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Tile Setter

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of a crew, plan the layout for a job, check quality, and train newer setters.

  2. Tile Contractor

    5+ years of experience first

    You run your own tile business, which means bidding on jobs, buying materials, managing crews, and handling customers.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take geometry and shop or drafting classesGeometry helps with measuring and layout, and shop or drafting classes teach you to read plans and use tools safely.
  • Join a skills or trade club, like a career and technical student organizationMany schools have these groups, which give you hands-on practice and a chance to meet people in the building trades.
  • Help with home repair or remodeling projectsTiling a bathroom backsplash or helping a relative with flooring gives you real experience with materials and tools.
  • Get a summer job on a construction crew or with a landscaping or home-improvement companyWorking on a job site teaches you teamwork, safety habits, and how a building project is run.
  • Earn a basic workplace safety certificate if your school or town offers oneKnowing job site safety early makes you a stronger candidate for helper jobs.

In college

  • Take math and basic construction or building science coursesMeasurement, geometry, and an understanding of building materials help you move faster into skilled work.
  • Get a part-time job with a contractor, remodeler, or flooring companyEven a helper role builds the 6 months to 1 year of experience employers often look for.
  • Join a construction or trades student groupClubs at many colleges connect students with local contractors and give leadership experience.
  • Look into a short trade program or apprenticeship at a local community college or union hallStructured training with hands-on practice can speed up your path to working as a setter.
  • Earn a recognized safety certification, such as OSHA 10-hour, if your school or local trade offers itIt shows employers you understand job site safety, which many contractors require.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask local tile shops, flooring companies, or remodeling contractors whether they hire helpers or take on apprentices. Many people start this way with no prior trade experience.
  • Learn basic math, like fractions and measurements, and practice simple layout ideas. Accurate measuring is a big part of this job.
  • Keep a simple record of any hands-on work you do, such as home projects or helping on a job site. It can help you show experience when you apply.

Related jobs that often lead here

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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