Statewide pay Government data
Tile setters in Illinois earn a statewide median of $67,160 a year, 33% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #7 of 47 states. About 730 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Illinois
See all states on the tile setters nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes tile setter pay for 1 Illinois metro: Chicago.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChicagoILLINOIS · IL | $74,670 | $72,079 | 550 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Illinois's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Apply hard tile, stone, and comparable materials to walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, and roof decks.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 9.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,300 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, tile setters have 138 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.6× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
What the work is like Government data
How often tile setters deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Illinois Official source
The main state licensing office in Illinois is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Most trades (including general contractors and electricians) are licensed locally; plumbers are licensed by the state health department. It can point you to the right license for tile setters.
Official Illinois licensing site ↗
Requirements for tile setters vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in Illinois
All trades in Illinois.