Tile setter salary in Maryland
Median $21.96 an hour for 240 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 Maryland: the full range
Maryland ranks 37th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 47th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $20.91). 240 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $16.00 – $18.57 | $33,280 – $38,630 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $18.57 – $25.00 | $38,630 – $51,990 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $25.00 – $36.16 | $51,990 – $75,200 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Tile setter pay by metro in Maryland
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $19.37 | $34.01 | $33.15 | $46.92 | 390 | 55% above |
| Washington DC | $16.00 | $23.65 | $21.72 | $35.91 | 450 | 8% above |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Tile setter wages in Maryland over time
Table
| Year | Maryland $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.51 | $29.97 | $17.08 | 460 |
| 2000 | $15.03 | $28.10 | $16.49 | 500 |
| 2001 | $16.15 | $29.36 | $17.02 | 240 |
| 2002 | $16.41 | $29.37 | $17.20 | 310 |
| 2003 | $14.32 | $25.06 | $17.12 | 280 |
| 2004 | $16.65 | $28.38 | $17.02 | 380 |
| 2005 | $18.59 | $30.64 | $17.56 | 690 |
| 2006 | $20.07 | $32.05 | $17.59 | 810 |
| 2007 | $21.28 | $33.04 | $18.61 | 960 |
| 2008 | $22.04 | $32.96 | $18.85 | 790 |
| 2009 | $21.85 | $32.79 | $18.83 | 600 |
| 2010 | $22.33 | $32.97 | $18.32 | 470 |
| 2011 | $21.99 | $31.47 | $17.83 | 370 |
| 2012 | $21.59 | $30.27 | $17.81 | 270 |
| 2013 | $21.08 | $29.13 | $18.06 | 500 |
| 2014 | $21.81 | $29.66 | $18.74 | 530 |
| 2015 | $21.80 | $29.61 | $18.94 | 580 |
| 2016 | $22.50 | $30.18 | $19.45 | 370 |
| 2017 | $18.90 | $24.82 | $20.04 | 370 |
| 2018 | $19.77 | $25.35 | $20.12 | 380 |
| 2019 | $18.25 | $22.98 | $20.70 | 390 |
| 2020 | $19.55 | $24.32 | $21.26 | 400 |
| 2021 | $23.02 | $27.35 | $22.99 | 350 |
| 2022 | $24.91 | $27.40 | $23.24 | 200 |
| 2023 | $21.65 | $22.88 | $23.52 | 220 |
| 2024 | $23.07 | $23.68 | $25.11 | 260 |
| 2025 | $21.96 | $21.96 | $26.77 | 240 |
In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Maryland changed by -25.8% over the last ten years of data and by -4.4% since 2019.
Are there more tile setter jobs in Maryland?
BLS counted 240 tile setters in Maryland in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 44%. 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 Maryland
Maryland's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +11.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 320 to 360, with about 30 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 240 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Maryland
On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $48.84). The market median for the state is $21.96.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Arundel | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260082 |
| Baltimore | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260108 |
| Calvert | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260109 |
| Caroline | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260110 |
| Carroll | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260111 |
| Cecil | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260112 |
| Charles | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260113 |
| Dorchester | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260114 |
| Frederick | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260115 |
| Harford | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260117 |
| Howard | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260118 |
| Kent | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260119 |
| Montgomery | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260120 |
| Prince George's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260121 |
| Queen Anne's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260122 |
| St. Mary's | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260124 |
| Somerset | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260123 |
| Talbot | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260125 |
| Wicomico | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260127 |
| Worcester | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260128 |
| Baltimore | state SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11 | $34.34 | $14.50 | $48.84 | MD20260107 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Maryland prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Maryland?
Keep comparing
Tile setter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Maryland
More on Maryland
Questions this page answers
How much do tile setters make in Maryland?
The median tile setter in Maryland earned $21.96 an hour ($45,670 a year) in May 2025, 18% below the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $18.57–$25.00; the top 10% earn more than $36.16.
Where does Maryland rank for tile setter pay?
Maryland ranks 37th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $21.96 an hour, and 47th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).
What is the union tile setter rate in Maryland?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a tile setter classification for most Maryland counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many tile setters work in Maryland?
BLS counted 240 tile setters in Maryland in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.37; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is tile setter work growing in Maryland?
Maryland's labor market agency projects +11.9% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 320 to 360 jobs.
How many tile setter openings a year are there in Maryland?
Maryland projects about 30 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, Maryland 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: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.