How much do tile & stone setters make in Maryland in 2026?

Tile and Stone Setters in Maryland earn a median wage of $45,670 per year, which works out to roughly $21.96 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of tile and stone setters in the state earn more, and half earn less.

The lower end of the pay scale starts at $38,630 annually, or about $18.57 per hour. Workers at this level are typically newer to the trade, working in lower-cost residential markets, or taking on simpler installations — basic floor tile, standard subway tile backsplashes, and similar work that doesn't demand a lot of technical skill or specialty material knowledge.

The top quarter of earners — the 75th percentile — pull in $51,990 per year, or $25.00 per hour. These are the setters who've built real expertise: large-format porcelain panels, natural stone work, custom shower surrounds, intricate mosaic patterns, or high-end commercial projects where precision and speed both matter to the general contractor.

The full spread from the 25th to the 75th percentile is $13,360 per year. That gap tells you there's meaningful room to grow your pay in this trade if you invest in technique and take on more complex work. It also reflects real differences in the type of projects available across Maryland's varied job markets.

Geography within Maryland matters. The Baltimore metro area and the Washington, D.C. suburbs — particularly Montgomery and Prince George's Counties — tend to offer the strongest wages and the most consistent work. High-end residential construction, commercial office fit-outs, and large mixed-use developments all drive demand for skilled setters. Work further west in the Appalachian counties or on the Eastern Shore tends to be more seasonal and more residential, which often means lower bids and tighter margins.

Your specialty affects your pay ceiling directly. Setters who can work confidently with large-format tiles (24x24 and bigger), thin-bed mortar systems, or natural stone like marble and travertine are in higher demand and can negotiate better day rates. Membrane waterproofing skills — critical for walk-in showers and wet rooms — also make you more valuable to contractors who want to avoid callbacks.

Apprenticeship completion matters too. A fully trained setter who understands substrate preparation, layout geometry, grout selection, and curing times is a different worker than someone who learned on the job setting 12x12 ceramic. Formal training through a union apprenticeship or an ABC chapter program builds the kind of documented skill that supports higher pay.

No union scale data is available for Tile and Stone Setters in Maryland at this time. For workers in unionized shops or on prevailing wage public projects, actual rates may differ from the BLS figures shown here. Always confirm the applicable wage determination before pricing a public works job.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. These are employer-reported figures covering both full-time and part-time workers across all sectors in Maryland.