Tile setter salary in North Carolina
Median $21.47 an hour for 680 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 North Carolina: the full range
North Carolina ranks 40th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 42nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.77). 680 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $16.87 – $19.02 | $35,090 – $39,560 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $19.02 – $24.36 | $39,560 – $50,660 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $24.36 – $27.93 | $50,660 – $58,090 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Tile setter pay by metro in North Carolina
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $17.84 | $23.65 | $24.51 | $32.13 | 50 | 10% above |
| Greensboro | $17.39 | $23.64 | $25.45 | $28.72 | 60 | 10% above |
| Winston-Salem | $17.74 | $22.00 | $23.91 | $50.69 | 50 | 2% above |
| Virginia Beach | $12.42 | $21.76 | $22.23 | $29.38 | 160 | 1% above |
| Raleigh | $17.57 | $21.57 | $21.97 | $26.35 | 130 | about the same as |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Tile setter wages in North Carolina over time
Table
| Year | North Carolina $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $13.86 | $26.78 | $17.08 | 470 |
| 2000 | $14.68 | $27.45 | $16.49 | 450 |
| 2001 | $14.08 | $25.60 | $17.02 | 340 |
| 2002 | $13.12 | $23.48 | $17.20 | 710 |
| 2003 | $13.38 | $23.41 | $17.12 | 940 |
| 2004 | $13.88 | $23.66 | $17.02 | 750 |
| 2005 | $14.24 | $23.47 | $17.56 | 870 |
| 2006 | $13.53 | $21.61 | $17.59 | 950 |
| 2007 | $13.61 | $21.13 | $18.61 | 1,300 |
| 2008 | $13.77 | $20.59 | $18.85 | 1,460 |
| 2009 | $13.75 | $20.63 | $18.83 | 1,010 |
| 2010 | $14.10 | $20.82 | $18.32 | 730 |
| 2011 | $15.33 | $21.94 | $17.83 | 540 |
| 2012 | $15.81 | $22.17 | $17.81 | 380 |
| 2013 | $17.87 | $24.70 | $18.06 | 530 |
| 2014 | $17.30 | $23.53 | $18.74 | 460 |
| 2015 | $18.06 | $24.53 | $18.94 | 470 |
| 2016 | $17.21 | $23.09 | $19.45 | 320 |
| 2017 | $17.04 | $22.38 | $20.04 | 530 |
| 2018 | $16.95 | $21.73 | $20.12 | 690 |
| 2019 | $17.70 | $22.29 | $20.70 | 800 |
| 2020 | $17.57 | $21.86 | $21.26 | 630 |
| 2021 | $18.96 | $22.53 | $22.99 | 740 |
| 2022 | $21.12 | $23.23 | $23.24 | 560 |
| 2023 | $22.17 | $23.42 | $23.52 | 500 |
| 2024 | $21.26 | $21.82 | $25.11 | 620 |
| 2025 | $21.47 | $21.47 | $26.77 | 680 |
In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in North Carolina changed by -12.5% over the last ten years of data and by -3.7% since 2019.
Are there more tile setter jobs in North Carolina?
BLS counted 680 tile setters in North Carolina in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 12%. 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 North Carolina
North Carolina's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +10.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 840 to 930, with about 70 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 680 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: North Carolina labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in North Carolina?
Keep comparing
Tile setter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in North Carolina
More on North Carolina
Questions this page answers
How much do tile setters make in North Carolina?
The median tile setter in North Carolina earned $21.47 an hour ($44,650 a year) in May 2025, 20% below the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $19.02–$24.36; the top 10% earn more than $27.93.
Where does North Carolina rank for tile setter pay?
North Carolina ranks 40th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $21.47 an hour, and 42nd after adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.3, US = 100).
What is the union tile setter rate in North Carolina?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a tile setter classification for most North Carolina counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many tile setters work in North Carolina?
BLS counted 680 tile setters in North Carolina in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.60; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is tile setter work growing in North Carolina?
North Carolina's labor market agency projects +10.9% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 840 to 930 jobs.
How many tile setter openings a year are there in North Carolina?
North Carolina projects about 70 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, North Carolina 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: North Carolina labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.