Tile and marble setter essential career information:
- 2012 median pay: $37,040
- 2012, number of jobs: 27,050
- Employment growth forecast, 2010-2020: 25 percent
- Entry level education requirements: Less than high school
Tile and marble setters; what they do:
If working with different forms of tile and marble in a highly detailed and physically demanding position sounds interesting, then a career as a marble setter may be in the future. From roofs to decks and ceilings to countertops, tile and marble setters use different tools and equipment to install marble, hard tile and wood tile to many surfaces.
A tile setter career includes cleaning and leveling surfaces, measuring, cutting and arranging tile according to specific design schematics, applying sticky paste with different sized trowels, wiping off any extra paste to apply sealants and finally, allowing work to dry.
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Tile and marble setter job titles:
- Marble Mason
- Tile Installers
- Tile Mason
- Tile Mechanic
- Tile Finisher
- Ceramic Tile Mechanic
Tile and Marble Setters Education, Certification and License Requirements
Typically, most tile and marble setters need a high school diploma and either formal or informal apprenticeships through technical trainings, businesses or unions to enter a marble setter career.
Apprenticeships can take up to 4 years to complete; for each year in training workers must earn a minimum of 144 hours of technical training and at least 2,000 hours of paid, on-site instruction.
Tile and marble setter education includes learning how to use tools and read blueprints, follow building code requirements and safety practices, as well as math and construction basics. Once this training is complete, tile and marble setters can perform tasks independently as a journey worker.
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Tile and Marble Setters Job Outlook
Forecast: employment growth of 25 percent for tile and marble setters from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.
A mixture of business and population growth combined with the increasing trend of using marble and tile on many surfaces increases the demand for tile and marble setters.
Many buildings such as hospitals, malls and restaurants, as well as commercial and institutional buildings consistently install hard tile and natural stone. In addition, new and remodeled homes also use high-end tiles and marble. Overall, the job outlook for tile setters looks very promising. Workers with a qualified job history and construction experience have the best chance at employment in the field.
Tile and Marble Setters Salary
- 2012 median annual wage: $37,040
- 2012 workers at the 75th percentile annual wage: $52,410
- 2012, workers at the 25th percentile annual wage: $28,160
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Major Employers

- Building finishing contractors industry
- Self-employed
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