Skilled Wages

Tile setter salary in Ohio

Median $22.18 an hour for 670 tile setters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$22.18/hrMedian hourly wageOhio, May data
$46,140/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.56 – $34.6410th to 90th percentilehourly range
670Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Tile setter pay in Ohio: the full range

Wage percentiles, OhioMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrOhio: 10th $17.56 · 25th $20.03 · median $22.18 · 75th $28.15 · 90th $34.64Ohio$22.18$17.56$34.64United 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: Ohio vs United States, May 2025.

Ohio ranks 36th of 47 states for median tile setter pay, and 33rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.90). 670 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$17.56 – $20.03$36,520 – $41,660roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.03 – $28.15$41,660 – $58,560the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$28.15 – $34.64$58,560 – $72,050the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Tile setter pay by metro in Ohio

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrCleveland: $23.99Cleveland$23.99Columbus: $22.62Columbus$22.62Akron: $22.48Akron$22.48Cincinnati: $22.42Cincinnati$22.42Dayton: $22.21Dayton$22.21Toledo: $21.68Toledo$21.68Youngstown: $20.53Youngstown$20.53
Median hourly wage for tile setters by metro area in Ohio, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Cleveland$18.40$23.99$25.55$35.181508% above
Columbus$18.21$22.62$23.69$30.331302% above
Akron$17.93$22.48$24.07$34.47501% above
Cincinnati$10.70$22.42$23.50$35.481101% above
Dayton$19.21$22.21$23.96$34.5750about the same as
Toledo$18.48$21.68$23.69$34.94502% below
Youngstown$16.53$20.53$23.49$26.94407% below

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

Tile setter wages in Ohio over time

Ohio, 1999-2025OhioUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$26.77United States$22.18Ohio
Median hourly wage for tile setters, Ohio vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOhio $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.58$35.90$17.08—
2000$15.54$29.05$16.49570
2001$16.65$30.27$17.02390
2002$15.81$28.29$17.20620
2003$15.98$27.96$17.12710
2004$18.87$32.16$17.02630
2005$19.26$31.75$17.56490
2006$19.32$30.85$17.59570
2007$19.89$30.88$18.61680
2008$20.86$31.19$18.85720
2009$17.36$26.05$18.83520
2010$18.84$27.82$18.32380
2011$17.81$25.49$17.83340
2012$20.26$28.41$17.81380
2013$21.87$30.22$18.06390
2014$24.40$33.18$18.74410
2015$23.56$32.00$18.94470
2016$25.51$34.22$19.45600
2017$21.54$28.29$20.04660
2018$20.51$26.30$20.12670
2019$19.26$24.25$20.70680
2020$21.88$27.22$21.26620
2021$23.19$27.55$22.99790
2022$22.67$24.94$23.241,060
2023$23.14$24.45$23.52870
2024$23.77$24.40$25.11730
2025$22.18$22.18$26.77670

In today's dollars, the median tile setter wage in Ohio changed by -30.7% over the last ten years of data and by -8.5% since 2019.

Are there more tile setter jobs in Ohio?

0.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.5× the US share, 31st of 44 states

BLS counted 670 tile setters in Ohio in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 24%. 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 Ohio

+8.0%Projected growth in Ohio2024–2034, state agency
80Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
980Jobs in 20241,060 projected for 2034
+9.8%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Ohio's labor market agency projects the number of tile setters in the state to change by +8.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 980 to 1,060, with about 80 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 670 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for tile setters in Ohio

On federally funded construction in Ohio, contractors must pay tile setters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 74 of the 74 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.77 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $22.18.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OHAdams: $48.77 (union)Allen: $46.27 (union)Ashland: $60.42 (union)Ashtabula: $55.56 (union)Athens: $46.69 (union)Auglaize: n/aBelmont: $54.83 (union)Brown: $48.77 (union)Butler: $48.77 (union)Carroll: $54.83 (union)Champaign: n/aClark: $46.80 (union)Clermont: $48.77 (union)Clinton: $46.69 (union)Columbiana: $55.56 (union)Coshocton: $46.69 (union)Crawford: $60.42 (union)Cuyahoga: $55.56 (union)Darke: n/aDefiance: n/aDelaware: $46.69 (union)Erie: $60.56 (union)Fairfield: $46.69 (union)Fayette: $46.69 (union)Franklin: $46.69 (union)Fulton: $56.21 (union)Gallia: $48.77 (union)Geauga: $55.56 (union)Greene: $46.80 (union)Guernsey: $46.69 (union)Hamilton: $48.77 (union)Hancock: n/aHardin: n/aHarrison: $46.69 (union)Henry: n/aHighland: $46.69 (union)Hocking: $46.69 (union)Holmes: $60.42 (union)Huron: $60.56 (union)Jackson: $46.69 (union)Jefferson: $54.83 (union)Knox: $46.69 (union)Lake: $55.56 (union)Lawrence: $54.83 (union)Licking: $46.69 (union)Logan: n/aLorain: $55.56 (union)Lucas: $56.21 (union)Madison: $46.69 (union)Mahoning: $55.56 (union)Marion: $60.42 (union)Medina: $55.56 (union)Meigs: $46.69 (union)Mercer: n/aMiami: $46.80 (union)Monroe: $48.77 (union)Montgomery: $39.33 (union)Morgan: $46.69 (union)Morrow: $60.42 (union)Muskingum: $46.69 (union)Noble: $46.69 (union)Ottawa: $60.56 (union)Paulding: n/aPerry: $46.69 (union)Pickaway: $46.69 (union)Pike: $46.69 (union)Portage: $48.70 (union)Preble: $46.80 (union)Putnam: n/aRichland: $60.42 (union)Ross: $46.69 (union)Sandusky: $60.56 (union)Scioto: $48.77 (union)Seneca: $60.56 (union)Shelby: n/aStark: $54.83 (union)Summit: $48.70 (union)Trumbull: $55.56 (union)Tuscarawas: $48.77 (union)Union: $46.69 (union)Van Wert: n/aVinton: $46.69 (union)Warren: $48.77 (union)Washington: $46.69 (union)Wayne: $60.42 (union)Williams: n/aWood: $60.56 (union)Wyandot: $60.42 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$46.69$46.80$53.62$56.21n/a
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$20$40$60$80/hrWood (Toledo): market median $21.68, prevailing (union) $60.56, gap +$38.88Wood (Toledo)+$38.88Erie (Ohio): market median $22.18, prevailing (union) $60.56, gap +$38.38Erie (Ohio)+$38.38Morrow (Columbus): market median $22.62, prevailing (union) $60.42, gap +$37.80Morrow (Columbus)+$37.80Mahoning (Youngstown): market median $20.53, prevailing (union) $55.56, gap +$35.03Mahoning (Youngstown)+$35.03Ashtabula (Cleveland): market median $23.99, prevailing (union) $55.56, gap +$31.57Ashtabula (Cleveland)+$31.57Brown (Cincinnati): market median $22.42, prevailing (union) $48.77, gap +$26.35Brown (Cincinnati)+$26.35Portage (Akron): market median $22.48, prevailing (union) $48.70, gap +$26.22Portage (Akron)+$26.22Greene (Dayton): market median $22.21, prevailing (union) $46.80, gap +$24.59Greene (Dayton)+$24.59
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for tile setters, metro counties in Ohio.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ErieUnion BROH0046-011 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260076
HuronUnion BROH0046-007 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260044
OttawaUnion BROH0046-013 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260095
SanduskyUnion BROH0046-007 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260054
SenecaUnion BROH0046-007 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260056
WoodUnion BROH0046-014 2024-06-01$36.53$24.03$60.56OH20260105
AshlandUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260031
CrawfordUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260037
HolmesUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260067
MarionUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260067
MorrowUnion BROH0040-006 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260094
RichlandUnion BROH0040-006 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260099
WayneUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260061
WyandotUnion BROH0040-001 2024-06-01$35.67$24.75$60.42OH20260063
FultonUnion BROH0003-006 2024-07-01$35.41$20.80$56.21OH20260079

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

Is construction work growing in Ohio?

285.5kConstruction jobsOhio, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025286kSep 2026
Construction employment in Ohio (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Tile setter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Ohio

More on Ohio

Questions this page answers

How much do tile setters make in Ohio?

The median tile setter in Ohio earned $22.18 an hour ($46,140 a year) in May 2025, 17% below the national median of $26.77. The middle half earn $20.03–$28.15; the top 10% earn more than $34.64.

Where does Ohio rank for tile setter pay?

Ohio ranks 36th of 47 states for tile setter pay, with a median of $22.18 an hour, and 33rd after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.8, US = 100).

What is the union tile setter rate in Ohio?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for tile setters in 74 counties, with a typical package of $48.77 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many tile setters work in Ohio?

BLS counted 670 tile setters in Ohio in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.52; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is tile setter work growing in Ohio?

Ohio's labor market agency projects +8.0% growth for tile setters between 2024 and 2034, from 980 to 1,060 jobs.

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

Ohio projects about 80 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, Ohio 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: Ohio labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.