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

Tile and Stone Setters in Texas earn a median wage of $47,030 per year, which works out to roughly $22.61 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number sits in the middle of the range — half of setters in Texas earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working in a slower market, expect to land closer to the 25th percentile at $40,100 annually, or about $19.28 per hour. Experienced setters with a strong book of work can push into the 75th percentile at $55,010 a year, or around $26.45 per hour. These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

The spread between the bottom quarter and the top quarter is nearly $15,000 a year. That gap is real money, and it reflects genuine differences in skill, specialization, and the type of projects a setter works on. Large-format porcelain, natural stone, and intricate mosaic work all command higher rates than standard ceramic floor and wall tile. A setter who can handle leveling systems, epoxy grouts, radiant heat membranes, and complex pattern layouts has leverage to negotiate closer to that upper number.

Texas is a large state with significant variation in pay by metro area. Major metros like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio generate steady commercial and residential construction demand, which tends to support wages at or above the statewide median. Smaller markets and rural areas typically run closer to the 25th percentile, partly because project volume is lower and partly because the competition for jobs is less concentrated among specialized contractors.

Self-employment and subcontracting are common in this trade, and that changes the picture. A setter running their own crew and billing direct to general contractors may clear well above the 75th percentile number, but they're also absorbing overhead, tools, liability insurance, and slow periods. The BLS wage figures reflect employees on payroll, not the full picture for owner-operators.

No union wage scale was available for Tile and Stone Setters in Texas at the time of this data pull. The trade in Texas operates predominantly as open shop, so wages are largely set through individual negotiation or contractor pay scales rather than collective bargaining agreements.

Hours also matter. Commercial tile work often runs full 40-hour weeks year-round on larger projects, while residential work can be more seasonal or project-dependent. A setter billing 1,800 actual hours in a year at $22.61 takes home noticeably less than the annual figure implies — keeping that in mind helps when comparing an hourly rate to a quoted annual salary.

To move up in the pay range, the clearest paths are building expertise in premium materials, getting comfortable with waterproofing systems like Schluter or Laticrete membranes, and developing efficiency on large jobs. Contractors pay more for setters who show up, hit layout fast, and don't need callbacks. Those soft factors — reliability and speed — often matter as much as technical skill when a foreman is deciding who gets the better-paying work.