Tile and Stone Setters Salary
In Tennessee, tile and stone setters earn $43,570 at the median, or about $20.95 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $48,530 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Tennessee?
About tile and stone setters
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for tile and stone setters in Tennessee runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $56K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 39.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tile and stone setterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level tile and stone setters (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Tile and Stone Setters salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $46K | +5% | 50 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $45K | +3% | 140 |
| Chattanooga | $37K | -16% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track tile and stone setters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tile and stone setter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 39.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tile and stone setters in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tile and stone setters typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,870/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $44K here vs. $56K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for tile and stone setters?
Tennessee pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $56K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do tile and stone setters make in Tennessee?
The median is $43,570 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,160, and experienced tile and stone setters can clear $59,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,087/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 39.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tile and stone setters salary go in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $48,530 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.