Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $56,460 | $27.15 |
| Mean (average) | $61,760 | $29.69 |
| 90th percentile | $96,700 | $46.49 |
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
Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,730 | $27,240 | $62,700 | 150 | 0.47 |
| Alaska | $92,860 | $52,560 | $101,900 | 70 | 1.46 |
| Arizona | $44,740 | $31,200 | $65,350 | 610 | 1.24 |
| Arkansas | $40,750 | $23,650 | $51,060 | 210 | 1.06 |
| California | $61,210 | $42,080 | $120,750 | 4,330 | 1.56 |
| Colorado | $46,020 | $40,100 | $83,200 | 240 | 0.56 |
| Connecticut | $47,210 | $45,320 | $55,880 | 110 | 0.44 |
| Florida | $57,020 | $30,240 | $89,220 | 1,660 | 1.1 |
| Georgia | $46,030 | $35,370 | $73,110 | 330 | 0.44 |
| Hawaii | $77,280 | $44,920 | $120,620 | 210 | 2.24 |
| Idaho | Data unavailable | 210 | 1.61 | ||
| Illinois | $69,880 | $43,960 | $114,190 | 1,330 | 1.44 |
| Indiana | $50,720 | $21,580 | $72,040 | 730 | 1.5 |
| Iowa | $54,960 | $26,950 | $83,100 | 160 | 0.7 |
| Kansas | $45,970 | $37,070 | $63,840 | 180 | 0.83 |
| Kentucky | $50,380 | $38,230 | $77,990 | 390 | 1.28 |
| Louisiana | $42,260 | $32,900 | $46,650 | 70 | 0.23 |
| Maine | $53,390 | $36,580 | $72,290 | 120 | 1.21 |
| Maryland | $47,880 | $37,080 | $62,230 | 450 | 1.08 |
| Massachusetts | $79,280 | $61,320 | $123,030 | 1,060 | 1.91 |
| Michigan | $46,800 | $36,850 | $74,680 | 670 | 1 |
| Minnesota | $59,380 | $39,640 | $99,690 | 490 | 1.1 |
| Mississippi | $49,240 | $21,800 | $61,010 | 100 | 0.56 |
| Missouri | $54,710 | $33,330 | $87,140 | 590 | 1.32 |
| Montana | $37,710 | $27,400 | $49,850 | 50 | 0.62 |
| Nevada | $58,540 | $37,440 | $95,140 | 560 | 2.38 |
| New Jersey | $59,840 | $44,170 | $137,100 | 700 | 1.08 |
| New Mexico | $49,790 | $35,360 | $75,530 | 200 | 1.48 |
| New York | $61,360 | $47,110 | $108,800 | 880 | 0.6 |
| North Carolina | $51,700 | $37,100 | $66,420 | 490 | 0.65 |
| North Dakota | $48,050 | $30,990 | $76,320 | 90 | 1.37 |
| Ohio | $59,470 | $44,530 | $75,320 | 850 | 1.01 |
| Oklahoma | $38,030 | $33,970 | $82,740 | 140 | 0.55 |
| Oregon | $56,460 | $40,660 | $89,780 | 300 | 1.01 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,050 | $42,660 | $89,960 | 720 | 0.78 |
| South Carolina | $49,860 | $36,880 | $58,240 | 170 | 0.48 |
| South Dakota | $58,930 | $38,130 | $70,770 | 180 | 2.56 |
| Tennessee | $49,900 | $35,500 | $64,170 | 200 | 0.41 |
| Texas | $43,070 | $34,480 | $57,720 | 1,480 | 0.69 |
| Utah | $47,900 | $38,130 | $90,180 | 550 | 2.08 |
| Vermont | $51,200 | $48,000 | $72,480 | 60 | 1.24 |
| Virginia | $50,440 | $41,550 | $74,290 | 270 | 0.43 |
| Washington | $56,800 | $42,300 | $94,310 | 370 | 0.69 |
| West Virginia | $45,390 | $27,240 | $79,890 | 30 | 0.28 |
| Wisconsin | $52,860 | $44,540 | $85,650 | 700 | 1.55 |
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 floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 21.2%.
- 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 floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-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
- Cut covering and foundation materials, according to blueprints and sketches.
- Trim excess covering materials, tack edges, and join sections of covering material to form tight joint.
- Cut flooring material to fit around obstructions.
- Roll and press sheet wall and floor covering into cement base to smooth and finish surface, using hand roller.
- Lay out, position, and apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors, walls, and cabinets, following guidelines to keep courses straight and create designs.
- Sweep, scrape, sand, or chip dirt and irregularities to clean base surfaces, correcting imperfections that may show through the covering.
- Measure and mark guidelines on surfaces or foundations, using chalk lines and dividers.
- Inspect surface to be covered to ensure that it is firm and dry.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Aya Associates Comp-U-Floor
- CPR Software FloorCOST Estimator for Excel
- Flooring Technologies QFloors
- Focus Floor Covering Software
- Measure Square FloorEstimate Pro
- On Center On-Screen Takeoff
- Pacific Solutions FloorRight
- Project visualization software
- Radio frequency identification RFID software
- Textile Management Systems RollMaster
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Negotiation.
Common job titles: Floor Covering Contractor, Floor Coverings Installer, Floor Installer, Floor Layer, Flooring Installer, Flooring Mechanic, Tile Installer, Tile Setter, Vinyl Installer, Vinyl Mechanic.
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 floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles make?
The national median annual wage for floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles was $56,460 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,600 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $96,700. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles a growing career?
BLS projects employment of floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles to change +9.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($92,860), Massachusetts ($79,280), Hawaii ($77,280). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.