Skilled Wages

Tile setter salary in California

Median $28.31 an hour for 8,250 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.31/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$58,880/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.23 – $48.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,250Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Tile setter pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrCalifornia: 10th $19.23 · 25th $22.86 · median $28.31 · 75th $35.61 · 90th $48.00California$28.31$19.23$48.00United States: 10th $17.86 · 25th $21.73 · median $26.77 · 75th $33.76 · 90th $41.40United States$26.77
Hourly wage percentiles for tile setters: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 15th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 23rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.57). 8,250 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.5× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.23 – $22.86$39,990 – $47,550roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.86 – $35.61$47,550 – $74,070the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.61 – $48.00$74,070 – $99,830the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Tile setter pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrVisalia: $34.27Visalia$34.27San Francisco: $30.98San Francisco$30.98San Jose: $30.09San Jose$30.09Santa Cruz: $28.73Santa Cruz$28.73Stockton: $28.35Stockton$28.35Santa Maria: $28.21Santa Maria$28.21Los Angeles: $28.18Los Angeles$28.18Salinas: $28.09Salinas$28.09San Diego: $28.00San Diego$28.00Santa Rosa: $27.92Santa Rosa$27.92Sacramento: $27.04Sacramento$27.04Oxnard: $26.71Oxnard$26.71
Median hourly wage for tile setters by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Visalia$20.90$34.27$34.34$49.0411021% above
San Francisco$22.13$30.98$26.80$56.001,0209% above
San Jose$22.32$30.09$27.26$49.884306% above
Santa Cruz$21.87$28.73$26.14$53.03501% above
Stockton$18.52$28.35$26.97$43.23180about the same as
Santa Maria$18.39$28.21$25.93$37.86160about the same as
Los Angeles$19.48$28.18$24.81$51.822,170about the same as
Salinas$18.82$28.09$25.77$52.611401% below
San Diego$19.03$28.00$25.02$43.609101% below
Santa Rosa$22.07$27.92$25.90$55.362801% below
Sacramento$18.28$27.04$25.34$43.547904% below
Oxnard$19.36$26.71$24.17$35.752106% below
Riverside$18.32$26.37$24.78$50.369407% below
Fresno$17.98$26.11$25.55$36.561908% below
San Luis Obispo$18.40$25.31$23.31$36.019011% below
Modesto$18.06$24.50$23.54$37.0012013% below
Redding$19.10$23.72$23.56$36.374016% below
Chico$18.19$23.05$22.78$31.003019% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Tile setter wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$28.31California$26.77United States
Median hourly wage for tile setters, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.89$42.30$17.086,890
2000$19.14$35.78$16.496,870
2001$18.56$33.74$17.029,070
2002$18.98$33.97$17.208,720
2003$18.90$33.07$17.128,840
2004$17.50$29.83$17.0211,790
2005$19.55$32.23$17.5611,960
2006$19.53$31.19$17.5913,640
2007$21.63$33.59$18.6113,390
2008$22.04$32.96$18.8511,360
2009$22.43$33.66$18.838,360
2010$21.53$31.79$18.326,100
2011$20.46$29.28$17.835,720
2012$18.49$25.93$17.815,670
2013$18.80$25.98$18.066,330
2014$20.00$27.20$18.747,060
2015$21.55$29.27$18.947,280
2016$21.77$29.20$19.457,810
2017$22.33$29.33$20.047,150
2018$23.17$29.71$20.127,090
2019$24.60$30.98$20.707,230
2020$25.05$31.16$21.267,240
2021$27.76$32.98$22.998,190
2022$28.34$31.18$23.248,910
2023$27.99$29.57$23.527,230
2024$27.65$28.38$25.117,250
2025$28.31$28.31$26.778,250

In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in California changed by -3.3% over the last ten years of data and by -8.6% since 2019.

Are there more tile setter jobs in California?

+14.1%Jobs since 20197,230 then, 8,250 in 2025
+13.3%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
0.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 2.0× the US share, 7th of 44 states

Since 1999, the number of tile setters counted in California has changed by +19.7%, against +31.2% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +14.1%.

Tile and stone setters in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200250200020052010201520202025131United States120California
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
19996,890100100
20006,870100102
20019,070132111
20028,720127123
20038,840128135
200411,790171157
200511,960174174
200613,640198188
200713,390194193
200811,360165187
20098,360121150
20106,10088116
20115,72083105
20125,6708299
20136,33092110
20147,060102116
20157,280106128
20167,810113135
20177,150104142
20187,090103143
20197,230105148
20207,240105140
20218,190119151
20228,910129149
20237,230105155
20247,250105142
20258,250120131

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for tile setters in California

+9.9%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
890Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
11,100Jobs in 202412,200 projected for 2034
+9.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +9.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 11,100 to 12,200, with about 890 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 8,250 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 57 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $72.33 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $27.83). 5 of the 57 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $22.21). The market median for the state is $28.31.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $72.33 (union)Alpine: $79.33 (union)Amador: $22.21 (survey)Butte: $79.33 (union)Calaveras: $72.33 (union)Colusa: $79.33 (union)Contra Costa: $72.33 (union)Del Norte: $27.83 (survey)El Dorado: $79.33 (union)Fresno: $72.33 (union)Glenn: $79.33 (union)Humboldt: $27.83 (survey)Imperial: $71.14 (union)Inyo: $67.47 (union)Kern: $67.47 (union)Kings: $72.33 (union)Lake: $27.83 (survey)Lassen: $79.33 (union)Los Angeles: $71.14 (union)Madera: $72.33 (union)Marin: $79.33 (union)Mariposa: $72.33 (union)Mendocino: $27.83 (survey)Merced: $72.33 (union)Modoc: $79.33 (union)Mono: $67.47 (union)Monterey: $72.33 (union)Napa: $79.33 (union)Nevada: $79.33 (union)Orange: $71.14 (union)Placer: $79.33 (union)Plumas: $79.33 (union)Riverside: $71.14 (union)Sacramento: $79.33 (union)San Benito: $72.33 (union)San Bernardino: $71.14 (union)San Diego: $71.14 (union)San Francisco: $72.33 (union)San Joaquin: $72.33 (union)San Luis Obispo: $67.47 (union)San Mateo: $72.33 (union)Santa Barbara: $77.52 (union)Santa Clara: $72.33 (union)Santa Cruz: $72.33 (union)Shasta: $79.33 (union)Sierra: $79.33 (union)Siskiyou: $79.33 (union)Solano: $79.33 (union)Sonoma: $79.33 (union)Stanislaus: $72.33 (union)Sutter: $79.33 (union)Tehama: $79.33 (union)Trinity: $79.33 (union)Tulare: n/aTuolumne: $72.33 (union)Ventura: $71.14 (union)Yolo: $79.33 (union)Yuba: $79.33 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$71.14$72.33$78.61n/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for tile setters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrButte (Chico): market median $23.05, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$56.28Butte (Chico)+$56.28Shasta (Redding): market median $23.72, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$55.61Shasta (Redding)+$55.61El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $27.04, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$52.29El Dorado (Sacramento)+$52.29Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $27.92, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$51.41Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$51.41Napa (California): market median $28.31, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$51.02Napa (California)+$51.02Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $28.21, prevailing (union) $77.52, gap +$49.31Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$49.31Marin (San Francisco): market median $30.98, prevailing (union) $79.33, gap +$48.35Marin (San Francisco)+$48.35Stanislaus (Modesto): market median $24.50, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$47.83Stanislaus (Modesto)+$47.83Fresno (Fresno): market median $26.11, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$46.22Fresno (Fresno)+$46.22Riverside (Riverside): market median $26.37, prevailing (union) $71.14, gap +$44.77Riverside (Riverside)+$44.77Ventura (Oxnard): market median $26.71, prevailing (union) $71.14, gap +$44.43Ventura (Oxnard)+$44.43Monterey (Salinas): market median $28.09, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$44.24Monterey (Salinas)+$44.24San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $28.35, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$43.98San Joaquin (Stockton)+$43.98Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $28.73, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$43.60Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$43.60San Diego (San Diego): market median $28.00, prevailing (union) $71.14, gap +$43.14San Diego (San Diego)+$43.14Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $28.18, prevailing (union) $71.14, gap +$42.96Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$42.96San Benito (San Jose): market median $30.09, prevailing (union) $72.33, gap +$42.24San Benito (San Jose)+$42.24San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $25.31, prevailing (union) $67.47, gap +$42.16San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$42.16
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for tile setters, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlpineUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
ButteUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
ColusaUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
El DoradoUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
GlennUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
LassenUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
MarinUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
ModocUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
NapaUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
NevadaUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
PlacerUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
PlumasUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
SacramentoUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
ShastaUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007
SierraUnion BRCA0003-010 2024-04-01$56.79$22.54$79.33CA20260007

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Tile setter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do tile setters make in California?

The median tile setter in California earned $28.31 an hour ($58,880 a year) in May 2025, 6% above the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $22.86–$35.61; the top 10% earn more than $48.00.

Where does California rank for tile setter pay?

California ranks 15th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $28.31 an hour, and 23rd after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union tile setter rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 52 counties, with a typical package of $72.33 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many tile setters work in California?

BLS counted 8,250 tile setters in California in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.96; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is tile setter work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of tile setters in California went from 7,280 in 2015 to 8,250 in 2025, +13.3%, and +14.1% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +9.9% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 11,100 to 12,200 jobs.

How many tile setter openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 890 openings a year for tile setters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 3,300 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2044. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.