Tile and Stone Setters Salary
In Iowa, tile and stone setters earn $54,350 at the median, or about $26.13 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $61,164 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 29.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $54K get you in Iowa?
About tile and stone setters
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What this looks like in Iowa
Tile and stone setters pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $56K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level tile and stone setters (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track tile and stone setters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tile and stone setter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 29.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tile and stone setters in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tile and stone setters typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,622/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tile and stone setter a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $56K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for tile and stone setters?
Iowa pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $56K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tile and stone setters make in Iowa?
The median is $54,350 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,700, and experienced tile and stone setters can clear $77,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 29.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a tile and stone setters salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tile and stone setters salary is worth about $61,164 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tile and stone setters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.