Best degree programs for Tile and Stone Setters, ranked by enrollment
2 college programs and 34 schools train Tile and Stone Setters. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $55,690 median wage, 35,850 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
2 college programs at 34 schools train tile and stone setters, graduating 452 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Mason/Masonry. The job pays a median of $55,690 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About tile and stone setters
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
2 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 46.0101 | 422 | 93.4% | 33 | $33,525 | — |
| 2 | CIP 46.0413 | 30 | 6.6% | 2 | $31,641 | $9,500 |
Top 34 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Mason/Masonry | 40% | — | — |
| 2 | Arizona Western College Yuma, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Mason/Masonry | 20% | — | — |
| 3 | Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Mason/Masonry | 38% | — | — |
| 4 | Central Arizona College Coolidge, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 31 | Mason/Masonry | 27% | — | — |
| 5 | Southeastern Community College Whiteville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Mason/Masonry | 43% | — | — |
| 6 | George C Wallace State Community College - Selma Selma, AL Public · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Mason/Masonry | 41% | — | — |
| 7 | Central Carolina Community College Sanford, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 21 | Mason/Masonry | 43% | — | — |
| 8 | Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Mason/Masonry | 58% | — | — |
| 9 | Halifax Community College Weldon, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Mason/Masonry | 35% | — | — |
| 10 | J F Ingram State Technical College Deatsville, AL Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Mason/Masonry | 21% | — | — |
| 11 | Williamson College of the Trades Media, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Mason/Masonry | 83% | $1,421 | 22% |
| 12 | Escondido Adult School Escondido, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Mason/Masonry | — | — | — |
| 13 | Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, SC Public · 1 feeder programs | 11 | Mason/Masonry | 33% | — | — |
| 14 | Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Mason/Masonry | 48% | — | — |
| 15 | Tulsa Technology Center Tulsa, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Mason/Masonry | 81% | — | — |
| 16 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Mason/Masonry | 25% | — | — |
| 17 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Mason/Masonry | 55% | — | 76% |
| 18 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker | 19% | — | — |
| 19 | Pamlico Community College Grantsboro, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Mason/Masonry | 54% | — | — |
| 20 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Mason/Masonry | 71% | — | 71% |
| 21 | City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy - King College Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Mason/Masonry | 31% | — | — |
| 22 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Green Bay, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Mason/Masonry | 51% | — | — |
| 23 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Mason/Masonry | 29% | — | — |
| 24 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Mason/Masonry | 66% | — | — |
| 25 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Upper Cumberland Crossville, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Mason/Masonry | 84% | — | — |
| 26 | Albany Technical College Albany, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Mason/Masonry | 42% | — | — |
| 27 | Fort Scott Community College Fort Scott, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Mason/Masonry | 35% | — | — |
| 28 | Mid - Del Technology Center Midwest City, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Mason/Masonry | 70% | — | — |
| 29 | Orange Technical College - South Campus Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Mason/Masonry | 35% | — | — |
| 30 | Emily Griffith Technical College Denver, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Mason/Masonry | 97% | — | — |
| 31 | Columbus Technical College Columbus, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Mason/Masonry | 27% | — | — |
| 32 | Gordon Cooper Technology Center Shawnee, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Mason/Masonry | 90% | — | — |
| 33 | Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Schnecksville, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Mason/Masonry | — | — | — |
| 34 | Riveroak Technical College Live Oak, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Mason/Masonry | 75% | — | — |
What tile and stone setters earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizonalimited | $52,000 | 1,060 | 1.41× | 2 | 80 |
| North Carolinamoderate | $44,650 | 680 | 0.60× | 4 | 73 |
| Indianalimited | $48,450 | 540 | 0.73× | 1 | 58 |
| Alabamalimited | $44,800 | 260 | 0.54× | 2 | 42 |
| Wisconsinmoderate | $62,680 | 410 | 0.61× | 4 | 40 |
| Nebraskalimited | $59,350 | — | — | 1 | 33 |
| Pennsylvaniamoderate | $70,230 | 880 | 0.63× | 3 | 26 |
| Californialimited | $58,880 | 8,250 | 1.96× | 2 | 24 |
| Oklahomamoderate | $44,340 | 280 | 0.70× | 3 | 15 |
| South Carolinalimited | $43,510 | — | — | 1 | 11 |
| New Yorklimited | $61,260 | 2,990 | 1.34× | 1 | 9 |
| Nevadalimited | $61,200 | 1,450 | 4.07× | 1 | 8 |
| Illinoislimited | $67,160 | 730 | 0.52× | 1 | 6 |
| Floridalimited | $47,280 | 4,070 | 1.78× | 2 | 5 |
| Georgialimited | $47,840 | 360 | 0.32× | 2 | 5 |
| Tennesseelimited | $43,570 | 350 | 0.47× | 1 | 5 |
| Utahlimited | $49,340 | 1,590 | 3.96× | 1 | 5 |
| Kansaslimited | $54,920 | 310 | 0.94× | 1 | 4 |
| Coloradolimited | $57,690 | 870 | 1.32× | 1 | 3 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.
Skills
- Active Listening3.1
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Mathematics3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Monitoring2.8
- Active Learning2.4
- Learning Strategies2.1
Knowledge areas
- Building and Construction4.0
- Mathematics3.4
- Customer and Personal Service3.0
- Design3.0
- Administration and Management2.6
- Mechanical2.6
Abilities
- Visualization3.8
- Near Vision3.6
- Extent Flexibility3.5
- Trunk Strength3.4
- Problem Sensitivity3.4
- Information Ordering3.3
Core activities
- Getting Information4.3
- Performing General Physical Activities3.9
- Handling and Moving Objects3.9
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.8
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.7
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.6
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Tile
Job zone 2 of 5 · SVP Below 6.0- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Tile and Stone Setters2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 46.0101Mason/Masonry
- 46.0413Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Tile?+
No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Mason/Masonry, which awarded 422 degrees in 2024-25, 93.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Tile?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Mason/Masonry, Building/Construction Finishing. Together they graduate about 452 people a year.
How much do tile and stone setters earn?+
The median is $55,690 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $37,140 at the 10th percentile to $86,110 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for tile and stone setters growing?+
BLS projects a +10.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 4,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
34 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do tile and stone setters work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Tile Setter, Tile Mechanic, Tile Installer, Tile and Marble Installer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 47-2044.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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