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

Tile and stone setters in Tennessee earn a median wage of $43,570 per year, which works out to roughly $20.95 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of all tile setters in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just entering the trade or working in a lower-wage region of Tennessee, the 25th percentile sits at $36,550 a year, or about $17.57 an hour. Experienced setters or those working on higher-end commercial and residential projects can reach the 75th percentile at $47,440 annually, which comes to around $22.81 an hour. All figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

The gap between the bottom and top of the range is meaningful. A setter at the 25th percentile earns roughly $10,890 less per year than one at the 75th percentile. Over a five-year span, that difference compounds to more than $54,000 in gross earnings. That spread reflects real differences in skill level, type of work, employer size, and geography within the state.

Geography plays a noticeable role in what you take home. The Nashville metro area — with its ongoing construction activity in both hospitality and residential sectors — tends to support wages closer to the upper end of the range. Knoxville and Chattanooga fall somewhere in the middle of the state's pay distribution. Rural counties and smaller markets generally track toward the lower percentiles, where work volume is steadier but project budgets are tighter.

The type of work matters just as much as location. Setters who work exclusively with large-format porcelain or natural stone — materials that require precise layout, back-buttering, and lippage control — typically command higher day rates than those doing standard ceramic tile in production housing. Commercial work, including hotels, hospitals, and office lobbies, tends to pay more per hour than tract-home bathroom floors, even within the same metro area. Setters who can install heated floor systems, do custom mosaic work, or read architectural drawings fluently are harder to replace and can push their pay toward or past the 75th percentile.

Experience and certifications add measurable value. The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) offers the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) credential, which signals to contractors and general contractors that a setter understands TCNA installation methods and industry standards. While Tennessee does not require a specific state license for tile setters working under a licensed contractor, those who pursue independent contracting will need to comply with the Tennessee Contractor Licensing Board requirements, which carry their own financial thresholds.

Hours and schedule also shape annual earnings. Most tile setters in Tennessee work for flooring or tile subcontractors rather than directly for general contractors. Project-based work means income can vary quarter to quarter depending on construction cycles, weather delays, and material lead times. Setters who build strong relationships with multiple contractors — rather than relying on a single employer — tend to keep their weeks fuller and their annual totals higher.

No union scale is currently reported for tile and stone setters in Tennessee. The state does not have the same union density in this trade as northern or coastal markets, so wages here are set largely by the open market, employer pay scales, and individual negotiation. That makes it especially important for setters in Tennessee to track current market rates and know where their earnings stand relative to their peers — which is exactly what this data provides.

To summarize the numbers plainly: entry-level or lower-market tile setters in Tennessee should expect somewhere around $17.57 an hour. A solid mid-career setter working regularly earns around $20.95 an hour. Top earners in the best markets or most demanding specialties reach $22.81 an hour or more. These are the benchmarks to measure yourself against when you're negotiating your next job offer or subcontract rate.