Skilled Wages

Tile setter salary in Kentucky

Median $22.78 an hour for 180 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$22.78/hrMedian hourly wageKentucky, May data
$47,380/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$16.64 – $27.0610th to 90th percentilehourly range
180Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Tile setter pay in Kentucky: the full range

Wage percentiles, KentuckyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrKentucky: 10th $16.64 · 25th $20.35 · median $22.78 · 75th $24.76 · 90th $27.06Kentucky$22.78$16.64$27.06United 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: Kentucky vs United States, May 2025.

Kentucky ranks 33rd of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 24th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.25). 180 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$16.64 – $20.35$34,620 – $42,320roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.35 – $24.76$42,320 – $51,500the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$24.76 – $27.06$51,500 – $56,290the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Tile setter pay by metro in Kentucky

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrLexington: $23.00Lexington$23.00Louisville: $22.85Louisville$22.85Cincinnati: $22.42Cincinnati$22.42
Median hourly wage for tile setters by metro area in Kentucky, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Lexington$16.87$23.00$24.76$27.00501% above
Louisville$17.26$22.85$24.54$27.6250about the same as
Cincinnati$10.70$22.42$23.50$35.481102% below

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

Tile setter wages in Kentucky over time

Kentucky, 1999-2025KentuckyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$26.77United States$22.78Kentucky
Median hourly wage for tile setters, Kentucky vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearKentucky $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.96$36.64$17.08—
2000$18.43$34.46$16.49160
2001$19.52$35.48$17.02—
2002$19.76$35.36$17.20270
2003$18.63$32.60$17.12180
2004$16.12$27.47$17.02310
2005$15.68$25.85$17.56300
2006$16.45$26.27$17.59240
2007$14.32$22.23$18.61370
2008$14.84$22.19$18.85390
2009$14.61$21.92$18.83460
2010$16.57$24.46$18.32250
2011$15.64$22.38$17.83220
2012$14.60$20.47$17.81130
2013$14.29$19.75$18.06160
2014$14.75$20.06$18.74180
2015$17.64$23.96$18.94180
2016$19.51$26.17$19.45250
2017$18.48$24.27$20.04300
2018$18.14$23.26$20.12290
2019$19.48$24.53$20.70280
2020$22.23$27.65$21.26190
2021$18.59$22.09$22.99190
2022$20.97$23.07$23.24280
2023$22.12$23.37$23.52290
2024$22.17$22.75$25.11180
2025$22.78$22.78$26.77180

In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Kentucky changed by -4.9% over the last ten years of data and by -7.1% since 2019.

Are there more tile setter jobs in Kentucky?

0.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.4× the US share, 37th of 44 states

BLS counted 180 tile setters in Kentucky in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 41%. 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 Kentucky

+1.2%Projected growth in Kentucky2024–2034, state agency
20Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
250Jobs in 2024250 projected for 2034
+9.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Kentucky's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +1.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 250 to 250, with about 20 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 180 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Kentucky

On federally funded construction in Kentucky, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 7 of the 112 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $50.92 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.87). 105 of the 112 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Adair County at $31.87). The market median for the state is $22.78.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KYAdair: $31.87 (survey)Allen: $20.96 (survey)Anderson: $31.87 (survey)Ballard: $31.87 (survey)Barren: $31.87 (survey)Bath: $31.87 (survey)Bell: $31.87 (survey)Boone: $50.92 (union)Bourbon: n/aBoyd: n/aBoyle: $31.87 (survey)Bracken: $50.92 (union)Breathitt: $31.87 (survey)Breckinridge: $31.87 (survey)Bullitt: $28.74 (survey)Butler: $20.96 (survey)Caldwell: $31.87 (survey)Calloway: $31.87 (survey)Campbell: $50.92 (union)Carlisle: $31.87 (survey)Carroll: $31.87 (survey)Carter: $31.87 (survey)Casey: $31.87 (survey)Christian: $20.96 (survey)Clark: n/aClay: $31.87 (survey)Clinton: $31.87 (survey)Crittenden: $31.87 (survey)Cumberland: $31.87 (survey)Daviess: $20.96 (survey)Edmonson: $20.96 (survey)Elliott: $31.87 (survey)Estill: $31.87 (survey)Fayette: n/aFleming: $31.87 (survey)Floyd: $31.87 (survey)Franklin: $31.87 (survey)Fulton: $31.87 (survey)Gallatin: $50.92 (union)Garrard: $31.87 (survey)Grant: $50.92 (union)Graves: $31.87 (survey)Grayson: $31.87 (survey)Green: $31.87 (survey)Greenup: n/aHancock: $20.96 (survey)Hardin: $28.74 (survey)Harlan: $31.87 (survey)Harrison: $31.87 (survey)Hart: $31.87 (survey)Henderson: $20.96 (survey)Henry: $28.74 (survey)Hickman: $31.87 (survey)Hopkins: $31.87 (survey)Jackson: $31.87 (survey)Jefferson: $28.74 (survey)Jessamine: n/aJohnson: $31.87 (survey)Kenton: $50.92 (union)Knott: $31.87 (survey)Knox: $31.87 (survey)Larue: $28.74 (survey)Laurel: $31.87 (survey)Lawrence: $31.87 (survey)Lee: $31.87 (survey)Leslie: $31.87 (survey)Letcher: $31.87 (survey)Lewis: $31.87 (survey)Lincoln: $31.87 (survey)Livingston: $31.87 (survey)Logan: $31.87 (survey)Lyon: $31.87 (survey)McCracken: $31.87 (survey)McCreary: $31.87 (survey)McLean: $20.96 (survey)Madison: $31.87 (survey)Magoffin: $31.87 (survey)Marion: $31.87 (survey)Marshall: $31.87 (survey)Martin: $31.87 (survey)Mason: $31.87 (survey)Meade: $28.74 (survey)Menifee: $31.87 (survey)Mercer: $31.87 (survey)Metcalfe: $31.87 (survey)Monroe: $31.87 (survey)Montgomery: $31.87 (survey)Morgan: $31.87 (survey)Muhlenberg: $31.87 (survey)Nelson: $28.74 (survey)Nicholas: $31.87 (survey)Ohio: $31.87 (survey)Oldham: $28.74 (survey)Owen: $31.87 (survey)Owsley: $31.87 (survey)Pendleton: $50.92 (union)Perry: $31.87 (survey)Pike: $31.87 (survey)Powell: $31.87 (survey)Pulaski: $31.87 (survey)Robertson: $31.87 (survey)Rockcastle: $31.87 (survey)Rowan: $31.87 (survey)Russell: $31.87 (survey)Scott: n/aShelby: $28.74 (survey)Simpson: $31.87 (survey)Spencer: $28.74 (survey)Taylor: $31.87 (survey)Todd: $31.87 (survey)Trigg: $20.96 (survey)Trimble: $28.74 (survey)Union: $31.87 (survey)Warren: $20.96 (survey)Washington: $31.87 (survey)Wayne: $31.87 (survey)Webster: $20.96 (survey)Whitley: $31.87 (survey)Wolfe: $31.87 (survey)Woodford: n/aUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$31.87n/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)Prevailing (survey)$20$30$40$50$60/hrBoone (Cincinnati): market median $22.42, prevailing (union) $50.92, gap +$28.50Boone (Cincinnati)+$28.50Ballard (Kentucky): market median $22.78, prevailing (survey) $31.87, gap +$9.09Ballard (Kentucky)+$9.09Bullitt (Louisville): market median $22.85, prevailing (survey) $28.74, gap +$5.89Bullitt (Louisville)+$5.89
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for tile setters, metro counties in Kentucky.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BooneUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260044
BrackenUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260102
CampbellUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260088
GallatinUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260102
GrantUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260102
KentonUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260095
PendletonUnion BRKY0018-002 2024-09-01$33.41$17.51$50.92KY20260102
AdairSurvey SUKY2015-020 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260037
AndersonSurvey SUKY2015-048 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260018
BallardSurvey SUKY2015-022 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260041
BarrenSurvey SUKY2015-023 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260042
BathSurvey SUKY2015-048 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260018
BellSurvey SUKY2015-001 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260019
BoyleSurvey SUKY2015-048 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260018
BreathittSurvey SUKY2015-024 2015-06-02$25.77$6.10$31.87KY20260043

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

Is construction work growing in Kentucky?

95.6kConstruction jobsKentucky, 2026-09
+0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202640k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202596kSep 2026
Construction employment in Kentucky (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Tile setter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kentucky

More on Kentucky

Questions this page answers

How much do tile setters make in Kentucky?

The median tile setter in Kentucky earned $22.78 an hour ($47,380 a year) in May 2025, 15% below the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $20.35–$24.76; the top 10% earn more than $27.06.

Where does Kentucky rank for tile setter pay?

Kentucky ranks 33rd of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $22.78 an hour, and 24th after adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.2, US = 100).

What is the union tile setter rate in Kentucky?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 7 counties, with a typical package of $50.92 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many tile setters work in Kentucky?

BLS counted 180 tile setters in Kentucky in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.40; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is tile setter work growing in Kentucky?

Kentucky's labor market agency projects +1.2% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 250 to 250 jobs.

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

Kentucky projects about 20 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, Kentucky 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: Kentucky labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.