Skilled Wages

Tile setter salary in Missouri

Median $29.13 an hour for 470 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.13/hrMedian hourly wageMissouri, May data
$60,590/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.87 – $38.2110th to 90th percentilehourly range
470Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Tile setter pay in Missouri: the full range

Wage percentiles, MissouriMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrMissouri: 10th $18.87 · 25th $20.86 · median $29.13 · 75th $35.61 · 90th $38.21Missouri$29.13$18.87$38.21United 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: Missouri vs United States, May 2025.

Missouri ranks 13th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 8th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.08). 470 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.87 – $20.86$39,250 – $43,390roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.86 – $35.61$43,390 – $74,060the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.61 – $38.21$74,060 – $79,470the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Tile setter pay by metro in Missouri

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSt. Louis: $30.60St. Louis$30.60Kansas City: $27.45Kansas City$27.45Springfield: $20.29Springfield$20.29
Median hourly wage for tile setters by metro area in Missouri, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
St. Louis$20.29$30.60$32.18$38.762805% above
Kansas City$20.25$27.45$29.68$38.792906% below
Springfield$17.35$20.29$22.90$33.355030% below

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

Tile setter wages in Missouri over time

Missouri, 1999-2025MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.13Missouri$26.77United States
Median hourly wage for tile setters, Missouri vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMissouri $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.88$36.48$17.08400
2000$20.68$38.66$16.49300
2001$21.83$39.68$17.02300
2002$21.68$38.80$17.20330
2003$23.17$40.54$17.12260
2004$21.40$36.47$17.02320
2005$16.77$27.64$17.56560
2006$17.92$28.62$17.59490
2007$18.81$29.21$18.61590
2008$26.29$39.31$18.85580
2009$25.94$38.93$18.83520
2010$25.44$37.56$18.32490
2011$25.07$35.88$17.83460
2012$25.27$35.43$17.81560
2013$21.05$29.09$18.06580
2014$24.93$33.90$18.74670
2015$22.65$30.77$18.94600
2016$28.51$38.24$19.45630
2017$24.42$32.07$20.04560
2018$22.87$29.32$20.12660
2019$25.34$31.91$20.70580
2020$25.64$31.89$21.26590
2021$28.37$33.71$22.99770
2022$27.30$30.03$23.24870
2023$27.77$29.34$23.52790
2024$29.06$29.82$25.11450
2025$29.13$29.13$26.77470

In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Missouri changed by -5.3% over the last ten years of data and by -8.7% since 2019.

Are there more tile setter jobs in Missouri?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 22nd of 44 states

BLS counted 470 tile setters in Missouri in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 29%. 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 Missouri

+10.0%Projected growth in Missouri2024–2034, state agency
60Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
720Jobs in 2024790 projected for 2034
+9.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Missouri's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +10.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 720 to 790, 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 470 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Missouri

On federally funded construction in Missouri, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 115 of the 115 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $54.10 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $29.13.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MOAdair: $56.52 (union)Andrew: $54.45 (union)Atchison: $56.52 (union)Audrain: $54.10 (union)Barry: $41.36 (union)Barton: $41.36 (union)Bates: $54.45 (union)Benton: $41.36 (union)Bollinger: $54.45 (union)Boone: $54.45 (union)Buchanan: $54.45 (union)Butler: $46.51 (union)Caldwell: $54.45 (union)Callaway: $54.45 (union)Camden: $54.10 (union)Cape Girardeau: $54.45 (union)Carroll: $56.52 (union)Carter: $46.51 (union)Cass: $54.45 (union)Cedar: $41.36 (union)Chariton: $54.10 (union)Christian: $54.45 (union)Clark: $54.00 (union)Clay: $54.45 (union)Clinton: $54.45 (union)Cole: $54.45 (union)Cooper: $54.10 (union)Crawford: $54.00 (union)Dade: $56.52 (union)Dallas: $54.45 (union)Daviess: $54.00 (union)DeKalb: $54.45 (union)Dent: $54.10 (union)Douglas: $56.52 (union)Dunklin: $46.51 (union)Franklin: $54.45 (union)Gasconade: $54.10 (union)Gentry: $54.00 (union)Greene: $54.45 (union)Grundy: $54.00 (union)Harrison: $54.00 (union)Henry: $56.52 (union)Hickory: $56.52 (union)Holt: $54.00 (union)Howard: $54.45 (union)Howell: $46.51 (union)Iron: $46.51 (union)Jackson: $54.45 (union)Jasper: $54.45 (union)Jefferson: $54.45 (union)Johnson: $56.52 (union)Knox: $54.00 (union)Laclede: $56.52 (union)Lafayette: $54.45 (union)Lawrence: $41.36 (union)Lewis: $54.00 (union)Lincoln: $54.45 (union)Linn: $54.00 (union)Livingston: $54.00 (union)McDonald: $54.45 (union)Macon: $54.00 (union)Madison: $46.51 (union)Maries: $54.10 (union)Marion: $54.00 (union)Mercer: $54.00 (union)Miller: $54.10 (union)Mississippi: $46.51 (union)Moniteau: $54.45 (union)Monroe: $54.00 (union)Montgomery: $54.10 (union)Morgan: $54.10 (union)New Madrid: $46.51 (union)Newton: $54.45 (union)Nodaway: $54.00 (union)Oregon: $46.51 (union)Osage: $54.45 (union)Ozark: $56.52 (union)Pemiscot: $46.51 (union)Perry: $46.51 (union)Pettis: $54.10 (union)Phelps: $54.10 (union)Pike: $54.00 (union)Platte: $54.45 (union)Polk: $54.45 (union)Pulaski: $54.10 (union)Putnam: $54.00 (union)Ralls: $54.00 (union)Randolph: $54.00 (union)Ray: $54.45 (union)Reynolds: $46.51 (union)Ripley: $46.51 (union)St. Charles: $54.45 (union)St. Clair: $56.52 (union)Ste. Genevieve: $46.51 (union)St. Francois: $46.51 (union)St. Louis: $54.45 (union)Saline: $54.00 (union)Schuyler: $54.00 (union)Scotland: $54.00 (union)Scott: $46.51 (union)Shannon: $41.36 (union)Shelby: $54.00 (union)Stoddard: $46.51 (union)Stone: $56.52 (union)Sullivan: $54.00 (union)Taney: $56.52 (union)Texas: $41.36 (union)Vernon: $41.36 (union)Warren: $54.45 (union)Washington: $54.45 (union)Wayne: $46.51 (union)Webster: $54.45 (union)Worth: $54.00 (union)Wright: $41.36 (union)St. Louis: $54.45 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$46.51$54.00$54.45
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)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrChristian (Springfield): market median $20.29, prevailing (union) $54.45, gap +$34.16Christian (Springfield)+$34.16Bates (Kansas City): market median $27.45, prevailing (union) $54.45, gap +$27.00Bates (Kansas City)+$27.00Andrew (Missouri): market median $29.13, prevailing (union) $54.45, gap +$25.32Andrew (Missouri)+$25.32Franklin (St. Louis): market median $30.60, prevailing (union) $54.45, gap +$23.85Franklin (St. Louis)+$23.85
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for tile setters, metro counties in Missouri.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdairUnion BRMO0003-006 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260028
AtchisonUnion BRMO0003-006 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260028
CarrollUnion BRMO0003-005 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260007
DadeUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
DouglasUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
HenryUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
HickoryUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
JohnsonUnion BRMO0003-005 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260012
LacledeUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
OzarkUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
St. ClairUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
StoneUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
TaneyUnion BRMO0003-008 2023-06-01$40.53$15.99$56.52MO20260032
AndrewUnion BRMO0018-003 2023-07-05$34.09$20.36$54.45MO20260081
BatesUnion BRMO0018-003 2023-07-05$34.09$20.36$54.45MO20260082

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

Is construction work growing in Missouri?

163.2kConstruction jobsMissouri, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025163kSep 2026
Construction employment in Missouri (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Tile setter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Missouri

More on Missouri

Questions this page answers

How much do tile setters make in Missouri?

The median tile setter in Missouri earned $29.13 an hour ($60,590 a year) in May 2025, 9% above the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $20.86–$35.61; the top 10% earn more than $38.21.

Where does Missouri rank for tile setter pay?

Missouri ranks 13th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $29.13 an hour, and 8th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).

What is the union tile setter rate in Missouri?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 115 counties, with a typical package of $54.10 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many tile setters work in Missouri?

BLS counted 470 tile setters in Missouri in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.69; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is tile setter work growing in Missouri?

Missouri's labor market agency projects +10.0% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 720 to 790 jobs.

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

Missouri 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, Missouri 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: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.