Skilled Wages

Tile setter salary in New York

Median $29.45 an hour for 2,990 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.45/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$61,260/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.00 – $46.4910th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,990Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Tile setter pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrNew York: 10th $19.00 · 25th $24.10 · median $29.45 · 75th $35.91 · 90th $46.49New York$29.45$19.00$46.49United 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: New York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 11th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 21st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.29). 2,990 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.4× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.00 – $24.10$39,520 – $50,130roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.10 – $35.91$50,130 – $74,690the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$35.91 – $46.49$74,690 – $96,700the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Tile setter pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrRochester: $29.67Rochester$29.67New York City: $29.52New York City$29.52Syracuse: $28.99Syracuse$28.99Poughkeepsie: $28.70Poughkeepsie$28.70Buffalo: $28.00Buffalo$28.00Albany: $27.73Albany$27.73
Median hourly wage for tile setters by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Rochester$19.03$29.67$30.59$37.061101% above
New York City$19.10$29.52$26.22$48.742,600about the same as
Syracuse$20.88$28.99$30.29$39.701002% below
Poughkeepsie$17.33$28.70$26.23$36.21803% below
Buffalo$17.66$28.00$29.23$42.831105% below
Albany$16.74$27.73$27.84$39.451106% below

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

Tile setter wages in New York over time

New York, 1999-2025New YorkUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$29.45New York$26.77United States
Median hourly wage for tile setters, New York vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew York $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.37$33.57$17.081,900
2000$17.16$32.08$16.491,570
2001$19.74$35.88$17.021,480
2002$18.25$32.66$17.201,650
2003$19.24$33.66$17.121,400
2004$24.77$42.22$17.021,680
2005$21.07$34.73$17.562,050
2006$25.11$40.10$17.592,560
2007$25.57$39.70$18.612,880
2008$23.35$34.92$18.853,570
2009$22.49$33.75$18.833,320
2010$19.45$28.72$18.322,420
2011$20.73$29.67$17.831,940
2012$29.65$41.58$17.811,950
2013$33.68$46.55$18.062,140
2014$37.97$51.64$18.741,920
2015$32.51$44.16$18.941,840
2016$32.92$44.16$19.451,890
2017$37.20$48.86$20.042,570
2018$25.12$32.21$20.122,330
2019$24.10$30.35$20.703,500
2020$24.26$30.18$21.263,830
2021$29.44$34.98$22.995,270
2022$26.85$29.54$23.243,730
2023$15.93$16.83$23.526,190
2024$30.39$31.19$25.113,140
2025$29.45$29.45$26.772,990

In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in New York changed by -33.3% over the last ten years of data and by -3.0% since 2019.

Are there more tile setter jobs in New York?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 12th of 44 states

BLS counted 2,990 tile setters in New York in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 19%. 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 New York

+1.6%Projected growth in New York2024–2034, state agency
270Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
3,890Jobs in 20243,950 projected for 2034
+9.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

New York's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +1.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,890 to 3,950, with about 270 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,990 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 43 of the 44 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $58.85 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.02). 1 of the 44 counties still use a survey rate dated 2009 or earlier (for example Yates County at $24.02). The market median for the state is $29.45.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: n/aAllegany: $58.85 (union)Bronx: $101.53 (union)Broome: $62.80 (union)Cattaraugus: $58.85 (union)Cayuga: $51.60 (union)Chautauqua: $58.85 (union)Chemung: n/aChenango: $51.60 (union)Clinton: $58.85 (union)Columbia: $51.60 (union)Cortland: $51.60 (union)Delaware: $51.60 (union)Dutchess: n/aErie: $67.65 (union)Essex: $58.85 (union)Franklin: $58.85 (union)Fulton: $58.85 (union)Genesee: $58.85 (union)Greene: $51.60 (union)Hamilton: $58.85 (union)Herkimer: n/aJefferson: $49.31 (union)Kings: $101.53 (union)Lewis: $58.85 (union)Livingston: n/aMadison: $49.31 (union)Monroe: $64.27 (union)Montgomery: $58.85 (union)Nassau: n/aNew York: $101.53 (union)Niagara: $52.25 (union)Oneida: $56.22 (union)Onondaga: $49.31 (union)Ontario: n/aOrange: n/aOrleans: $69.65 (union)Oswego: $49.31 (union)Otsego: $51.60 (union)Putnam: $101.53 (union)Queens: $101.53 (union)Rensselaer: n/aRichmond: $101.53 (union)Rockland: n/aSt. Lawrence: $58.85 (union)Saratoga: n/aSchenectady: n/aSchoharie: n/aSchuyler: $58.85 (union)Seneca: $58.85 (union)Steuben: $58.85 (union)Suffolk: n/aSullivan: $51.60 (union)Tioga: $62.80 (union)Tompkins: $57.85 (union)Ulster: n/aWarren: n/aWashington: n/aWayne: n/aWestchester: $101.53 (union)Wyoming: $58.85 (union)Yates: $24.02 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$51.60$58.85$65.62n/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)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrBronx (New York City): market median $29.52, prevailing (union) $101.53, gap +$72.01Bronx (New York City)+$72.01Orleans (Rochester): market median $29.67, prevailing (union) $69.65, gap +$39.98Orleans (Rochester)+$39.98Erie (Buffalo): market median $28.00, prevailing (union) $67.65, gap +$39.65Erie (Buffalo)+$39.65Broome (New York): market median $29.45, prevailing (union) $62.80, gap +$33.35Broome (New York)+$33.35Madison (Syracuse): market median $28.99, prevailing (union) $49.31, gap +$20.32Madison (Syracuse)+$20.32
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for tile setters, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260003
KingsUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260003
New YorkUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260003
PutnamUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260025
QueensUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260003
RichmondUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260003
WestchesterUnion BRNY0052-001 2024-06-03$64.40$37.13$101.53NY20260017
OrleansUnion BRNY0003-011 2025-07-01$37.85$31.80$69.65NY20260034
ErieUnion BRNY0045-004 2025-07-01$36.85$30.80$67.65NY20260050
MonroeUnion BRNY0003-004 2025-07-01$37.45$26.82$64.27NY20260010
BroomeUnion BRNY0003-002 2025-07-01$34.34$28.46$62.80NY20260004
TiogaUnion BRNY0003-014 2025-07-01$34.34$28.46$62.80NY20260045
AlleganyUnion BRNY0002-023 2024-07-01$38.34$20.51$58.85NY20260099
CattaraugusUnion BRNY0002-023 2024-07-01$38.34$20.51$58.85NY20260100
ChautauquaUnion BRNY0002-023 2024-07-01$38.34$20.51$58.85NY20260102

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New York prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.1kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-09
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kSep 2026
Construction employment in New York (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Tile setter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

More on New York

Questions this page answers

How much do tile setters make in New York?

The median tile setter in New York earned $29.45 an hour ($61,260 a year) in May 2025, 10% above the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $24.10–$35.91; the top 10% earn more than $46.49.

Where does New York rank for tile setter pay?

New York ranks 11th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $29.45 an hour, and 21st after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union tile setter rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 43 counties, with a typical package of $58.85 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many tile setters work in New York?

BLS counted 2,990 tile setters in New York in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.34; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is tile setter work growing in New York?

New York's labor market agency projects +1.6% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 3,890 to 3,950 jobs.

How many tile setter openings a year are there in New York?

New York projects about 270 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, New York 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: New York labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.