Tile setter salary in North Dakota
Median $20.49 an hour for 70 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2002 and the state's own outlook.
Tile setter pay in North Dakota: the full range
North Dakota ranks 45th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 40th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.02). 70 tile setters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.74 – $18.00 | $36,910 – $37,440 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $18.00 – $29.68 | $37,440 – $61,730 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.68 – $37.32 | $61,730 – $77,630 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Tile setter pay by metro in North Dakota
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $17.74 | $25.70 | $31.32 | 50 | 25% above |
Tile setter wages in North Dakota over time
Table
| Year | North Dakota $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | $13.75 | $24.61 | $17.20 | 30 |
| 2004 | $13.48 | $22.97 | $17.02 | 50 |
| 2005 | $12.86 | $21.20 | $17.56 | 40 |
| 2006 | $10.60 | $16.93 | $17.59 | 60 |
| 2007 | $17.39 | $27.00 | $18.61 | 50 |
| 2008 | $17.06 | $25.51 | $18.85 | 40 |
| 2009 | $22.39 | $33.60 | $18.83 | — |
| 2010 | $23.56 | $34.78 | $18.32 | — |
| 2011 | $19.40 | $27.77 | $17.83 | 90 |
| 2012 | $14.03 | $19.67 | $17.81 | 40 |
| 2013 | $13.23 | $18.28 | $18.06 | 60 |
| 2014 | $15.33 | $20.85 | $18.74 | 40 |
| 2015 | $16.47 | $22.37 | $18.94 | 50 |
| 2016 | $18.03 | $24.19 | $19.45 | 50 |
| 2017 | $19.60 | $25.74 | $20.04 | — |
| 2019 | $21.25 | $26.76 | $20.70 | 70 |
| 2020 | $21.67 | $26.96 | $21.26 | 80 |
| 2021 | $22.52 | $26.76 | $22.99 | 70 |
| 2022 | $20.94 | $23.04 | $23.24 | 60 |
| 2023 | $27.00 | $28.53 | $23.52 | 80 |
| 2024 | $22.61 | $23.20 | $25.11 | 80 |
| 2025 | $20.49 | $20.49 | $26.77 | 70 |
In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in North Dakota changed by -8.4% over the last ten years of data and by -23.4% since 2019.
Are there more tile setter jobs in North Dakota?
BLS counted 70 tile setters in North Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. 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 Dakota
North Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +15.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 100 to 110, with about 10 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 70 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: North Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in North Dakota?
Keep comparing
Tile setter pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in North Dakota
More on North Dakota
Questions this page answers
How much do tile setters make in North Dakota?
The median tile setter in North Dakota earned $20.49 an hour ($42,620 a year) in May 2025, 23% below the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $18.00–$29.68; the top 10% earn more than $37.32.
Where does North Dakota rank for tile setter pay?
North Dakota ranks 45th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $20.49 an hour, and 40th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).
What is the union tile setter rate in North Dakota?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a tile setter classification for most North Dakota counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many tile setters work in North Dakota?
BLS counted 70 tile setters in North Dakota in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is tile setter work growing in North Dakota?
North Dakota's labor market agency projects +15.2% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 100 to 110 jobs.
How many tile setter openings a year are there in North Dakota?
North Dakota projects about 10 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 Dakota 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 Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.