Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (SOC 47-2042) earn a median $56,460 a year ($27.15 an hour) in the United States, with 23,640 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles do
Floor layers in this group lay blocks, strips or sheets of cushioning, sound-deadening or decorative covering on floors, other than carpet, wood and hard tile; asphalt tile, composition tile and cork are among the materials named in job titles. The first job is preparing the base: sweeping, scraping, sanding or chipping away dirt and irregularities, checking that the surface is firm and dry, and in some cases stapling plywood or Masonite over the floor, or brushing on waterproof compound and filling cracks to form a smooth foundation. Guidelines are measured and marked with chalk lines and dividers. Pieces are cut to fit around obstructions, tacked or glued down, and joined to form a tight joint, with excess covering trimmed off. Sheet covering may be rolled and pressed into a cement base with a hand roller. Carpet installers (47-2041), wood floor workers and tile and stone setters (47-2044) are classified separately.
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: Asphalt Tile Floor Layer, Commercial Installer, Composition Floor Layer, Composition Floor Setter, Composition Tile Layer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.08 | $21.95 | $27.15 | $35.50 | $46.49 | $29.69 | 23,640 |
| Annual | $37,600 | $45,660 | $56,460 | $73,840 | $96,700 | $61,760 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $25.27 | $40.92 | $44.64 | $44.84 | $48.99 | $41.94 | 70 | 0.22 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $52,560 | $85,110 | $92,860 | $93,270 | $101,900 | $87,240 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $29.48 | $31.54 | $38.12 | $52.63 | $59.15 | $41.97 | 1,060 | 0.29 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $61,320 | $65,610 | $79,280 | $109,460 | $123,030 | $87,300 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $21.60 | $28.31 | $37.15 | $41.59 | $57.99 | $37.33 | 210 | 0.34 | 2.24 |
| Annual | $44,920 | $58,880 | $77,280 | $86,520 | $120,620 | $77,640 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $21.14 | $24.98 | $33.60 | $43.79 | $54.90 | $34.82 | 1,330 | 0.22 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $43,960 | $51,960 | $69,880 | $91,090 | $114,190 | $72,420 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.65 | $25.00 | $29.50 | $35.50 | $52.31 | $32.85 | 880 | 0.09 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $47,110 | $52,000 | $61,360 | $73,840 | $108,800 | $68,330 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $20.23 | $23.12 | $29.43 | $42.64 | $58.06 | $33.99 | 4,330 | 0.24 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $42,080 | $48,080 | $61,210 | $88,690 | $120,750 | $70,700 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.54 | $23.81 | $27.41 | $37.22 | $42.89 | $28.32 | 1,660 | 0.17 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $30,240 | $49,530 | $57,020 | $77,420 | $89,220 | $58,910 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.58 | $18.22 | $20.71 | $22.87 | $27.75 | $21.45 | 1,480 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $34,480 | $37,900 | $43,070 | $47,570 | $57,720 | $44,620 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $21.14 | $24.98 | $33.60 | $43.79 | $54.90 | $34.82 | 1,330 | 0.22 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $43,960 | $51,960 | $69,880 | $91,090 | $114,190 | $72,420 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $29.48 | $31.54 | $38.12 | $52.63 | $59.15 | $41.97 | 1,060 | 0.29 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $61,320 | $65,610 | $79,280 | $109,460 | $123,030 | $87,300 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $24.58 | $30.65 | $50.61 | $59.47 | $60.52 | $46.14 | 340 | 0.30 | 2.00 |
| Annual | $51,130 | $63,750 | $105,280 | $123,700 | $125,870 | $95,980 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.03 | $32.31 | $47.25 | $52.83 | $59.25 | $44.01 | 740 | 0.27 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $62,460 | $67,210 | $98,290 | $109,880 | $123,240 | $91,530 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $25.27 | $40.92 | $44.64 | $44.84 | $44.84 | $42.96 | 60 | 0.33 | 2.14 |
| Annual | $52,560 | $85,110 | $92,860 | $93,270 | $93,270 | $89,350 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $19.60 | $24.07 | $38.93 | $39.66 | $43.22 | $33.41 | 170 | 0.16 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $40,770 | $50,070 | $80,970 | $82,480 | $89,890 | $69,500 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $21.45 | $28.31 | $37.15 | $41.59 | $42.81 | $36.01 | 150 | 0.34 | 2.26 |
| Annual | $44,610 | $58,880 | $77,280 | $86,520 | $89,030 | $74,890 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.88 | $24.51 | $28.41 | $42.84 | $49.31 | $33.48 | 1,350 | 0.21 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $45,520 | $50,980 | $59,090 | $89,100 | $102,560 | $69,630 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.59 | $27.74 | $29.50 | $43.67 | $60.92 | $36.29 | 1,180 | 0.13 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $49,070 | $57,700 | $61,360 | $90,830 | $126,710 | $75,480 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.27 | $25.34 | $33.83 | $44.27 | $55.11 | $36.38 | 1,010 | 0.22 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $52,710 | $70,370 | $92,070 | $114,630 | $75,670 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.03 | $32.31 | $47.25 | $52.83 | $59.25 | $44.01 | 740 | 0.27 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $62,460 | $67,210 | $98,290 | $109,880 | $123,240 | $91,530 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $21.60 | $26.68 | $36.04 | $48.72 | $58.53 | $37.64 | 600 | 0.25 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $44,930 | $55,490 | $74,970 | $101,330 | $121,750 | $78,280 | ||||
Top industries employing floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
Building Finishing Contractors employ 76.6% of floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles nationally (18,100 jobs) at a median $57,350 a year ($27.57 an hour), followed by Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers (7.9%) and Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (4.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 18,100 | 76.6% | $57,350 | $27.57 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers NAICS 449100 | 1,870 | 7.9% | $55,920 | $26.89 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 1,080 | 4.6% | $56,980 | $27.40 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 850 | 3.6% | $49,540 | $23.82 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321900 | 610 | 2.6% | $48,060 | $23.11 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (23,640). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,060 for floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles in May 2021 and $56,460 in May 2025, with employment of 18,300 and 23,640.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,060 | $23.11 | 18,300 |
| May 2022 | $48,870 | $23.50 | 20,710 |
| May 2023 | $48,840 | $23.48 | 25,150 |
| May 2024 | $54,340 | $26.13 | 24,850 |
| May 2025 | $56,460 | $27.15 | 23,640 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
45 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $44.64 | $92,860 | $52,560 | $101,900 | 70 | 0.22 | 1.46 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $38.12 | $79,280 | $61,320 | $123,030 | 1,060 | 0.29 | 1.91 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $37.15 | $77,280 | $44,920 | $120,620 | 210 | 0.34 | 2.24 |
| 4 | Illinois profile | $33.60 | $69,880 | $43,960 | $114,190 | 1,330 | 0.22 | 1.44 |
| 5 | New York profile | $29.50 | $61,360 | $47,110 | $108,800 | 880 | 0.09 | 0.60 |
| 6 | California profile | $29.43 | $61,210 | $42,080 | $120,750 | 4,330 | 0.24 | 1.56 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.87 | $60,050 | $42,660 | $89,960 | 720 | 0.12 | 0.78 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $28.77 | $59,840 | $44,170 | $137,100 | 700 | 0.16 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $28.59 | $59,470 | $44,530 | $75,320 | 850 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $28.55 | $59,380 | $39,640 | $99,690 | 490 | 0.17 | 1.10 |
| 11 | South Dakota profile | $28.33 | $58,930 | $38,130 | $70,770 | 180 | 0.39 | 2.56 |
| 12 | Nevada profile | $28.15 | $58,540 | $37,440 | $95,140 | 560 | 0.36 | 2.38 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $27.41 | $57,020 | $30,240 | $89,220 | 1,660 | 0.17 | 1.10 |
| 14 | Washington profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $42,300 | $94,310 | 370 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $27.14 | $56,460 | $40,660 | $89,780 | 300 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| 16 | Iowa profile | $26.42 | $54,960 | $26,950 | $83,100 | 160 | 0.11 | 0.70 |
| 17 | Missouri profile | $26.30 | $54,710 | $33,330 | $87,140 | 590 | 0.20 | 1.32 |
| 18 | Maine profile | $25.67 | $53,390 | $36,580 | $72,290 | 120 | 0.18 | 1.21 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $25.42 | $52,860 | $44,540 | $85,650 | 700 | 0.24 | 1.55 |
| 20 | North Carolina profile | $24.86 | $51,700 | $37,100 | $66,420 | 490 | 0.10 | 0.65 |
| 21 | Vermont profile | $24.62 | $51,200 | $48,000 | $72,480 | 60 | 0.19 | 1.24 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $24.39 | $50,720 | $21,580 | $72,040 | 730 | 0.23 | 1.50 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $24.25 | $50,440 | $41,550 | $74,290 | 270 | 0.07 | 0.43 |
| 24 | Kentucky profile | $24.22 | $50,380 | $38,230 | $77,990 | 390 | 0.19 | 1.28 |
| 25 | Tennessee profile | $23.99 | $49,900 | $35,500 | $64,170 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
| 26 | South Carolina profile | $23.97 | $49,860 | $36,880 | $58,240 | 170 | 0.07 | 0.48 |
| 27 | New Mexico profile | $23.94 | $49,790 | $35,360 | $75,530 | 200 | 0.23 | 1.48 |
| 28 | Mississippi profile | $23.67 | $49,240 | $21,800 | $61,010 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.56 |
| 29 | North Dakota profile | $23.10 | $48,050 | $30,990 | $76,320 | 90 | 0.21 | 1.37 |
| 30 | Utah profile | $23.03 | $47,900 | $38,130 | $90,180 | 550 | 0.32 | 2.08 |
| 31 | Maryland profile | $23.02 | $47,880 | $37,080 | $62,230 | 450 | 0.17 | 1.08 |
| 32 | Connecticut profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $45,320 | $55,880 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.44 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $22.50 | $46,800 | $36,850 | $74,680 | 670 | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $22.13 | $46,030 | $35,370 | $73,110 | 330 | 0.07 | 0.44 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | $22.13 | $46,020 | $40,100 | $83,200 | 240 | 0.09 | 0.56 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $22.10 | $45,970 | $37,070 | $63,840 | 180 | 0.13 | 0.83 |
| 37 | West Virginia profile | $21.82 | $45,390 | $27,240 | $79,890 | 30 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 38 | Arizona profile | $21.51 | $44,740 | $31,200 | $65,350 | 610 | 0.19 | 1.24 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $20.71 | $43,070 | $34,480 | $57,720 | 1,480 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| 40 | Louisiana profile | $20.32 | $42,260 | $32,900 | $46,650 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.23 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $19.59 | $40,750 | $23,650 | $51,060 | 210 | 0.16 | 1.06 |
| 42 | Alabama profile | $18.62 | $38,730 | $27,240 | $62,700 | 150 | 0.07 | 0.47 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $18.29 | $38,030 | $33,970 | $82,740 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 44 | Montana profile | $18.13 | $37,710 | $27,400 | $49,850 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.62 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 210 | 0.24 | 1.61 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (47-2040), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2042 Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2042, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2042.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.