Tile setter salary in Hawaii
Median $38.11 an hour for 440 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Tile setter pay in Hawaii: the full range
Hawaii ranks 2nd of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 4th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $34.65). 440 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.15 – $29.50 | $43,980 – $61,360 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $29.50 – $49.03 | $61,360 – $101,980 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $49.03 – $54.95 | $101,980 – $114,300 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Tile setter pay by metro in Hawaii
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $20.96 | $41.76 | $37.62 | $81.75 | 290 | 10% above |
| Kahului | $22.66 | $30.93 | $28.27 | $47.45 | 80 | 19% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Tile setter wages in Hawaii over time
Table
| Year | Hawaii $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $33.23 | $64.21 | $17.08 | — |
| 2000 | $25.75 | $48.14 | $16.49 | 160 |
| 2001 | $24.59 | $44.70 | $17.02 | 160 |
| 2002 | $24.97 | $44.69 | $17.20 | 300 |
| 2003 | $23.10 | $40.42 | $17.12 | 260 |
| 2004 | $20.30 | $34.60 | $17.02 | 290 |
| 2005 | $24.19 | $39.88 | $17.56 | — |
| 2006 | $26.29 | $41.98 | $17.59 | 550 |
| 2007 | $27.74 | $43.07 | $18.61 | 770 |
| 2008 | $28.41 | $42.48 | $18.85 | 810 |
| 2009 | $28.77 | $43.17 | $18.83 | 570 |
| 2010 | $28.18 | $41.61 | $18.32 | 320 |
| 2011 | $30.13 | $43.12 | $17.83 | 330 |
| 2012 | $29.02 | $40.69 | $17.81 | 210 |
| 2013 | $30.89 | $42.69 | $18.06 | 360 |
| 2014 | $29.72 | $40.42 | $18.74 | 420 |
| 2015 | $30.17 | $40.98 | $18.94 | 490 |
| 2016 | $28.01 | $37.57 | $19.45 | 380 |
| 2017 | $30.76 | $40.40 | $20.04 | 390 |
| 2018 | $30.60 | $39.23 | $20.12 | 340 |
| 2019 | $29.97 | $37.74 | $20.70 | 400 |
| 2020 | $27.40 | $34.08 | $21.26 | 370 |
| 2021 | $37.28 | $44.29 | $22.99 | 550 |
| 2022 | $38.43 | $42.28 | $23.24 | 500 |
| 2023 | $46.91 | $49.56 | $23.52 | 610 |
| 2024 | $46.19 | $47.41 | $25.11 | 550 |
| 2025 | $38.11 | $38.11 | $26.77 | 440 |
In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Hawaii changed by -7.0% over the last ten years of data and by +1.0% since 2019.
Are there more tile setter jobs in Hawaii?
BLS counted 440 tile setters in Hawaii in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 17%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for tile setters in Hawaii
Hawaii's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +11.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 740 to 820, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 440 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Hawaii
On federally funded construction in Hawaii, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 5 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $77.69 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $38.11.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | Union BRHI0001-002 2023-09-05 | $44.69 | $33.00 | $77.69 | HI20260001 |
| Honolulu | Union BRHI0001-002 2023-09-05 | $44.69 | $33.00 | $77.69 | HI20260001 |
| Kalawao | Union BRHI0001-002 2023-09-05 | $44.69 | $33.00 | $77.69 | HI20260001 |
| Kauai | Union BRHI0001-002 2023-09-05 | $44.69 | $33.00 | $77.69 | HI20260001 |
| Maui | Union BRHI0001-002 2023-09-05 | $44.69 | $33.00 | $77.69 | HI20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Hawaii prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Hawaii?
Keep comparing
Tile setter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Hawaii
More on Hawaii
Questions this page answers
How much do tile setters make in Hawaii?
The median tile setter in Hawaii earned $38.11 an hour ($79,270 a year) in May 2025, 42% above the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $29.50–$49.03; the top 10% earn more than $54.95.
Where does Hawaii rank for tile setter pay?
Hawaii ranks 2nd of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $38.11 an hour, and 4th after adjusting for Hawaii's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.0, US = 100).
What is the union tile setter rate in Hawaii?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 5 counties, with a typical package of $77.69 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many tile setters work in Hawaii?
BLS counted 440 tile setters in Hawaii in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 3.05; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is tile setter work growing in Hawaii?
Hawaii's labor market agency projects +11.4% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 740 to 820 jobs.
How many tile setter openings a year are there in Hawaii?
Hawaii projects about 60 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, Hawaii 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: Hawaii labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.