Tile setter salary in Massachusetts
Median $39.02 an hour for 410 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 Massachusetts: the full range
Massachusetts ranks 1st of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $36.88). 410 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.02 – $28.46 | $52,040 – $59,190 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $28.46 – $46.13 | $59,190 – $95,940 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $46.13 – $50.08 | $95,940 – $104,170 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Tile setter pay by metro in Massachusetts
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $25.93 | $39.54 | $36.51 | $51.49 | — | 1% above |
| Springfield | $25.67 | $32.25 | $33.56 | $50.04 | 30 | 17% below |
| Worcester | $23.50 | $28.33 | $27.64 | $43.45 | 50 | 27% below |
| Providence | $19.00 | $27.54 | $27.05 | $37.85 | 60 | 29% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Tile setter wages in Massachusetts over time
Table
| Year | Massachusetts $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $23.89 | $46.17 | $17.08 | 130 |
| 2000 | $19.36 | $36.20 | $16.49 | 80 |
| 2001 | $25.68 | $46.68 | $17.02 | 140 |
| 2002 | $27.16 | $48.60 | $17.20 | 170 |
| 2003 | $26.48 | $46.33 | $17.12 | 210 |
| 2004 | $29.94 | $51.03 | $17.02 | 510 |
| 2005 | $29.82 | $49.16 | $17.56 | 480 |
| 2006 | $26.07 | $41.63 | $17.59 | 500 |
| 2007 | $21.62 | $33.57 | $18.61 | 360 |
| 2008 | $24.52 | $36.66 | $18.85 | 480 |
| 2009 | $33.96 | $50.96 | $18.83 | 480 |
| 2010 | $36.36 | $53.68 | $18.32 | 480 |
| 2011 | $37.79 | $54.09 | $17.83 | 380 |
| 2012 | $35.70 | $50.06 | $17.81 | 380 |
| 2013 | $40.46 | $55.92 | $18.06 | 570 |
| 2014 | $39.50 | $53.72 | $18.74 | 640 |
| 2015 | $41.02 | $55.72 | $18.94 | 840 |
| 2016 | $30.77 | $41.27 | $19.45 | 720 |
| 2017 | $22.39 | $29.41 | $20.04 | 930 |
| 2018 | $19.40 | $24.87 | $20.12 | 750 |
| 2019 | $18.05 | $22.73 | $20.70 | 730 |
| 2020 | $19.18 | $23.86 | $21.26 | 430 |
| 2021 | $28.68 | $34.08 | $22.99 | 240 |
| 2022 | $30.74 | $33.82 | $23.24 | 140 |
| 2023 | — | — | $23.52 | 350 |
| 2025 | $39.02 | $39.02 | $26.77 | 410 |
In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Massachusetts changed by -30.0% over the last ten years of data and by +71.7% since 2019.
Are there more tile setter jobs in Massachusetts?
BLS counted 410 tile setters in Massachusetts in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 46%. 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 Massachusetts
No state projection is published for tile setters in Massachusetts. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% growth over 2025-35 with about 3,300 openings a year; the national page has the openings breakdown and every state that does publish a figure.
Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Massachusetts
On federally funded construction in Massachusetts, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 14 of the 14 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $102.03 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $39.02.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Bristol | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Dukes | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Essex | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Middlesex | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Nantucket | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Norfolk | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Plymouth | Union BRMA0003-004 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260012 |
| Suffolk | Union BRMA0003-001 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260001 |
| Worcester | Union BRMA0003-004 2024-08-01 | $64.52 | $37.51 | $102.03 | MA20260013 |
| Berkshire | Union MARB0097-001 2012-03-01 | $28.43 | $25.85 | $54.28 | MA20260003 |
| Franklin | Union MARB0097-001 2012-03-01 | $28.43 | $25.85 | $54.28 | MA20260003 |
| Hampden | Union MARB0097-001 2012-03-01 | $28.43 | $25.85 | $54.28 | MA20260003 |
| Hampshire | Union MARB0097-001 2012-03-01 | $28.43 | $25.85 | $54.28 | MA20260003 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Massachusetts prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Massachusetts?
Keep comparing
Tile setter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Massachusetts
More on Massachusetts
Questions this page answers
How much do tile setters make in Massachusetts?
The median tile setter in Massachusetts earned $39.02 an hour ($81,150 a year) in May 2025, 46% above the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $28.46–$46.13; the top 10% earn more than $50.08.
Where does Massachusetts rank for tile setter pay?
Massachusetts ranks 1st of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $39.02 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Massachusetts's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.8, US = 100).
What is the union tile setter rate in Massachusetts?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 14 counties, with a typical package of $102.03 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many tile setters work in Massachusetts?
BLS counted 410 tile setters in Massachusetts in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.49; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Massachusetts 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.