Carpet installers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,450 | $17.05 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Mean (average) | $56,990 | $27.40 |
| 90th percentile | $82,140 | $39.49 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Carpet installers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 46 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,600 | $30,090 | $69,050 | 190 | 1.01 |
| Alaska | $76,790 | $46,740 | $79,310 | 70 | 2.35 |
| Arizona | $47,920 | $43,780 | $56,610 | 260 | 0.92 |
| Arkansas | $37,390 | $25,850 | $52,320 | 50 | 0.39 |
| California | $54,440 | $38,380 | $80,560 | 2,270 | 1.41 |
| Colorado | $51,280 | $46,260 | $75,800 | 190 | 0.76 |
| Connecticut | $49,230 | $39,480 | $76,890 | 40 | 0.26 |
| Delaware | $50,350 | $36,310 | $61,220 | 70 | 1.7 |
| Florida | $48,580 | $36,000 | $65,140 | 550 | 0.63 |
| Georgia | $48,260 | $34,340 | $72,670 | 530 | 1.23 |
| Hawaii | $58,710 | $46,920 | $62,140 | ||
| Idaho | $51,550 | $37,980 | $56,240 | 170 | 2.23 |
| Illinois | $49,480 | $37,890 | $116,300 | 580 | 1.08 |
| Indiana | $49,640 | $37,950 | $63,340 | 190 | 0.66 |
| Iowa | $55,920 | $39,150 | $74,720 | ||
| Kansas | $57,920 | $50,390 | $81,110 | 70 | 0.58 |
| Kentucky | $37,800 | $27,710 | $61,530 | 130 | 0.74 |
| Louisiana | $49,400 | $37,160 | $56,750 | 100 | 0.58 |
| Maryland | $57,030 | $39,170 | $85,220 | 250 | 1.02 |
| Massachusetts | $47,930 | $45,350 | $65,750 | ||
| Michigan | $48,790 | $29,210 | $78,730 | 470 | 1.21 |
| Minnesota | $85,910 | $56,730 | $88,660 | ||
| Mississippi | $36,590 | $27,550 | $56,350 | 180 | 1.79 |
| Missouri | $63,960 | $47,380 | $100,810 | 230 | 0.89 |
| Montana | $43,840 | $27,820 | $47,750 | 150 | 3.22 |
| Nebraska | $50,600 | $39,480 | $125,010 | ||
| Nevada | $67,040 | $39,350 | $83,510 | 710 | 5.15 |
| New Hampshire | $65,600 | $50,720 | $89,490 | 60 | 1.01 |
| New Jersey | $115,180 | $48,790 | $128,130 | 390 | 1.03 |
| New Mexico | $52,700 | $34,960 | $69,850 | 60 | 0.79 |
| New York | $52,160 | $32,240 | $74,150 | 710 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | Data unavailable | 180 | 0.41 | ||
| Ohio | $54,370 | $40,920 | $74,700 | 310 | 0.63 |
| Oklahoma | $42,490 | $38,870 | $45,020 | 50 | 0.32 |
| Oregon | $57,800 | $32,900 | $82,290 | 520 | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,030 | $36,390 | $66,820 | 490 | 0.92 |
| South Carolina | $33,810 | $29,920 | $51,270 | 80 | 0.37 |
| South Dakota | $40,420 | $35,220 | $49,510 | 80 | 1.95 |
| Tennessee | $74,510 | $52,340 | $79,440 | 50 | 0.18 |
| Texas | $43,610 | $31,510 | $81,220 | 810 | 0.65 |
| Utah | $44,480 | $31,620 | $71,490 | 240 | 1.54 |
| Vermont | $54,830 | $49,400 | $65,370 | 30 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $48,920 | $27,860 | $79,340 | 210 | 0.57 |
| Washington | $54,830 | $43,490 | $138,980 | 470 | 1.5 |
| West Virginia | $36,220 | $24,390 | $56,770 | 50 | 0.73 |
| Wisconsin | $60,830 | $37,860 | $80,430 | 420 | 1.6 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for carpet installers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 21%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for carpet installers
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker CIP 46.0413
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Plan the layout of the carpet, allowing for expected traffic patterns and placing seams for best appearance and longest wear.
- Join edges of carpet and seam edges where necessary, by sewing or by using tape with glue and heated carpet iron.
- Cut carpet padding to size and install padding, following prescribed method.
- Cut and trim carpet to fit along wall edges, openings, and projections, finishing the edges with a wall trimmer.
- Stretch carpet to align with walls and ensure a smooth surface, and press carpet in place over tack strips or use staples, tape, tacks or glue to hold carpet in place.
- Roll out, measure, mark, and cut carpeting to size with a carpet knife, following floor sketches and allowing extra carpet for final fitting.
- Nail tack strips around area to be carpeted or use old strips to attach edges of new carpet.
- Inspect the surface to be covered to determine its condition, and correct any imperfections that might show through carpet or cause carpet to wear unevenly.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Aya Associates Comp-U-Floor
- Carpet Dealer Management System CDMS
- FIRST Flooring
- FloorCOST Estimator for Excel
- Flooring Technologies QFloors
- Focus Floor Covering Software
- Measure Square FloorEstimate Pro
- Pacific Solutions FloorRight
- RFMS Schedule Pro
- Textile Management Systems RollMaster
- eTakeoff
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Quality Control Analysis, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Carpet Flooring Installer, Carpet Layer, Carpet Mechanic, Commercial Floor Covering Installer, Floor Coverer, Floor Covering Installer, Floor Installation Mechanic, Flooring Installer, Flooring Mechanic, Installer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do carpet installers make?
The national median annual wage for carpet installers was $50,340 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,450 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $82,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do carpet installers need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is carpet installers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of carpet installers to change -16.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay carpet installers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Jersey ($115,180), Minnesota ($85,910), Alaska ($76,790). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.