Career Overview
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
Also Known As
- Tile and Marble Installer
- Tile Installer
- Tile Mechanic
- Tile Setter
Alternate Job Titles
- Acoustical Carpenter
- Acoustical Installer
- Acoustical Material Worker
- Bathroom Fitter
- Ceramic Tile Installer
- Ceramic Tile Mechanic
- Ceramic Tile Setter
- Floor Tile Layer
- Granite Countertop Installer
- Granite Fabricator
- Granite Installer
- Hard Tile Setter
- Installer
- Marble Ceiling Installer
- Marble Finisher
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.
- Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.
- Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.
- Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern.
- Mix, apply, and spread plaster, concrete, mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives to form a bed for the tiles, using brush, trowel and screed.
- Study blueprints and examine surface to be covered to determine amount of material needed.
- Measure and mark surfaces to be tiled, following blueprints.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Building and Construction
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Visualization
- Near Vision
- Extent Flexibility
- Trunk Strength
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
- Manual Dexterity
- Finger Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
- Static Strength
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Achievement Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Salesforce software
Tools & Equipment
- Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
- Adjustable widemouth pliers
- Air compressors
- Angle grinders
- Articulating boom lifts
- Base grinders
- Bench vises
- Blow torches
- Builders' levels
- Bull floats
- Buttering trowels
- Caulking guns
- Chalk lines
- Chipping hammers
- Claw hammers
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $36,140 |
| Median | $52,240 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $82,960 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 38,740
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $54,340
Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $57,260
Stonemasons
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $51,990
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,480
Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $45,690
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.