Construction · SOC 47-2044
Tile setting blends physical installation with aesthetic judgment — AI helps with plans but not the craft.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Tile-laying robots are being tested in commercial settings for simple grid patterns, but complex cuts, custom designs, and residential work remain firmly human for 10-12 years.
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$59,600 median pay
$78,690 median pay
$72,120 median pay
$57,980 median pay
$65,010 median pay
$59,310 median pay
AI job-risk card
Tile and Stone Setters is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Tile and Stone Setters is 28/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
28 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Creating decorative mosaic designs and patterns, Preparing cost and labor estimates from material calculations, Applying adhesive paper for mosaic tile layouts. Harder to automate: Cutting tile around obstacles with hand and power tools, Applying mortar and pressing tile precisely into position, Finishing and cleaning grout joints with damp sponges, Studying blueprints and preparing substrate surfaces.
Lean into Tile setting techniques, Blueprint reading, Surface preparation, Decorative pattern layout. Consider roles such as Tile contractor or Flooring supervisor or Masonry estimator.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.