Work Environment
Flooring installers and tile and stone setters held about 117,600 jobs in 2020. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up flooring installers and tile and stone setters was distributed as follows:
- Tile and stone setters - 54,100
- Carpet installers - 32,600
- Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles - 23,700
- Floor sanders and finishers - 7,200
The largest employers of flooring installers and tile and stone setters were as follows:
- Specialty trade contractors - 50%
- Self-employed workers - 30%
- Home furnishings stores - 8%
- Construction of buildings - 4%
- Manufacturing - 4%
Installing flooring, tile, and stone is physically demanding, requiring workers to spend much of their time reaching, bending, and kneeling. Workers typically wear kneepads while kneeling; safety goggles when using grinders, saws, and sanders; and dust masks or respirator systems to prevent inhaling work-generated dust in enclosed areas with poor ventilation.
Injuries and Illnesses
Carpet installers and floor sanders and finishers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.
Work Schedules
Most flooring installers and tile and stone setters work full time, although schedules may vary. In commercial settings, they may need to work evenings and weekends to avoid disturbing regular business operations.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of flooring installers and tile and stone setters is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 11,000 openings for flooring installers and tile and stone setters are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
The construction of new housing units will be the primary source of flooring and tile and stone installation work over the projections decade. More flooring installers and tile and stone setters will be needed for remodeling and replacement projects in existing homes. Although carpet is still the dominant flooring, other products, including resilient flooring such as vinyl, are growing in popularity.
Tile and stone will continue to be commonly installed in bathrooms, shopping malls, and restaurants, as well as in other commercial and government buildings.
Earnings
The median annual wage for flooring installers and tile and stone setters was $47,310 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,650, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $78,130.
Median annual wages for flooring installers and tile and stone setters in May 2021 were as follows:
- Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles - $48,060
- Tile and stone setters - $47,810
- Carpet installers - $46,640
- Floor sanders and finishers - $39,140
In May 2021, the median annual wages for flooring installers and tile and stone setters in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Construction of buildings - $47,970
- Specialty trade contractors - $47,790
- Home furnishings stores - $46,380
- Manufacturing - $38,760
Most flooring installers and tile and stone setters work full time, although schedules may vary. In commercial settings, they may need to work evenings and weekends to avoid disturbing regular business operations.
