How much do floor layers make in Georgia in 2026?

The median floor layer in Georgia earns $46,030 a year, which works out to $22.13 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the middle of the pack — half the floor layers in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working in a slower market, the 25th percentile sits at $41,130 a year ($19.77/hr). Workers in the top quarter of earners clear $59,450 annually, or about $28.58 an hour. That $18,320 spread between the bottom and top quartiles tells you there's real room to move your pay upward as you build skills and experience.

These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. They cover workers classified under floor laying occupations across Georgia, including carpet installers, hardwood floor layers, tile and resilient flooring installers, and similar trades. The BLS aggregates these roles together in its Georgia estimates, so your specific specialty may land you above or below the figures shown here.

Georgia's floor laying work is spread across a wide geography. Metro Atlanta drives the largest share of demand, with ongoing commercial construction, residential subdivision builds, and renovation of older retail and office space all keeping crews busy. Markets like Savannah, Augusta, and Columbus have their own construction cycles, often tied to industrial growth, military-adjacent development, and healthcare facility expansion. Workers willing to travel between job sites — or take short-term work in a hot market — often push their annual earnings above the state median simply by keeping their hours up.

Specialty matters a lot in this trade. Hardwood installation and refinishing tends to pay better than basic carpet laying because it requires more skill, more precise tooling, and a longer learning curve. Epoxy and decorative concrete overlays are a growing segment and can command premium rates, particularly on commercial jobs. If you're doing tile work that overlaps with the floor layer classification — large-format porcelain, heated floor systems, or moisture-critical installations — your negotiating position is stronger because fewer workers can do the job correctly.

Experience level is the most direct driver of where you fall in that $19.77–$28.58 hourly range. A first- or second-year worker with a single employer learning one flooring type will likely earn at or below the median. A worker with five or more years across multiple flooring systems, who can read blueprints, manage material estimates, and supervise a small crew, is the profile that reaches the 75th percentile. Adding certifications — such as those offered through the International Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) program — is one documented way to signal that skill level to employers and general contractors.

No union wage scale is available for floor layers in Georgia at this time. The state has limited union presence in the flooring trades compared to states like Illinois or California, so most workers here are employed directly by flooring contractors or subcontractors under negotiated or posted wage structures. That means your pay is often set by what you can demonstrate you're worth to a specific employer, making skill documentation and a clear track record more important than union seniority.

Hours are another variable. Floor layers on commercial projects may work compressed schedules — long days during a project push, then slower periods between contracts. Residential remodelers often have more consistent week-to-week hours but may see slowdowns tied to housing market conditions. Workers who can move between commercial and residential work, or who pick up emergency repair and restoration jobs (water-damaged floors, fire remediation), tend to smooth out those slow patches and keep annual earnings higher.

Georgia does not have a state-specific prevailing wage law that applies broadly to private construction, so public and private job pay can vary significantly. Federal projects in the state are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements, and floor layers on those jobs may earn rates set above the open-market median.

All figures on this page are from BLS OEWS May 2025 and reflect Georgia statewide wage estimates. Hourly rates are calculated by dividing annual figures by 2,080 hours.