Kitchen backsplash cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (30 sq ft)
- $300 – $1,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $50
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $750
- Little Rock, AR
- Priciest metro
- $1,150
- Honolulu, HI
A kitchen backsplash runs $300 to $1,500 nationally for 30 sq ft, or $10 to $50 per sq ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $750 in Little Rock, AR to $1,150 in Honolulu, HI.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in the US average, standard level
$660 to $1,150
About $22 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $290 | $470 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $660 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $900 | 58% |
| Labor | $150 | $380 | $600 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $300 | $900 | $1,500 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$300 to $780
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$660 to $1,150
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,000 to $1,500
Slab or natural stone
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $250 – $650 | $550 – $950 | $850 – $1,250 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $300 – $780 | $660 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $500 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,500 |
How a kitchen backsplash job goes, step by step
- Prep the wall. Clean, flat drywall and a plan around outlets and switches.
- Lay out the pattern. A centered layout avoids thin edge cuts. Cuts around outlets are done with a wet saw or nippers.
- Set tile and grout. Mastic or thinset holds the tile; grout is applied after it sets.
- Caulk and seal. Flexible caulk at the counter and corners, and sealer if the grout or tile is porous.
What changes the price of a kitchen backsplash
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
Old backsplash removal
Removing the old one adds $2-$5 per sq ft.
Part of a remodel
A backsplash often gets bundled into a kitchen remodel and priced with it.
Wages behind the national estimate
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) do the largest share of the work, about 90% of the weighting. Their national median is $26.77 an hour. Among 123 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $16.81 in Las Cruces, NM to $42.66 in Bremerton, WA, and the middle metro sits at $24.30. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.54 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $21.73 | $26.77 | $33.76 | $26.77 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 | $29.12 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
How much the price varies by city
Across the 300 metros we cover, the midpoint for 30 sq ft runs from $750 in Little Rock to $1,150 in Honolulu, a gap of 57%. The median metro is $840, which is −6% against the national midpoint of $900. 21 metros are 10% or more above the national figure, 75 are 10% or more below, and 204 sit within 10% of it.
Most expensive metros for kitchen backsplash
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $400 – $1,950 | $1,150 |
| Bremerton, WA | $390 – $1,850 | $1,150 |
| Seattle, WA | $370 – $1,800 | $1,050 |
| Bellingham, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Boston, MA | $370 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Chicago, IL | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Kennewick, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Yakima, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Olympia, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Barnstable, MA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
Least expensive metros for kitchen backsplash
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | $240 – $1,250 | $750 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $240 – $1,250 | $750 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $750 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $750 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $760 |
| Chattanooga, TN | $250 – $1,250 | $760 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $250 – $1,300 | $770 |
| Lafayette, LA | $250 – $1,300 | $770 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $250 – $1,300 | $770 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $250 – $1,300 | $770 |
Kitchen backsplash cost by state
| State | Range (30 sq ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $270 – $1,350 | $810 |
| Alaska | $310 – $1,550 | $940 |
| Arizona | $280 – $1,400 | $850 |
| Arkansas | $250 – $1,250 | $760 |
| California | $320 – $1,600 | $960 |
| Colorado | $300 – $1,500 | $910 |
| Connecticut | $310 – $1,550 | $930 |
| Delaware | $290 – $1,450 | $880 |
| District of Columbia | $310 – $1,550 | $930 |
| Florida | $270 – $1,400 | $830 |
| Georgia | $280 – $1,400 | $840 |
| Hawaii | $380 – $1,850 | $1,100 |
| Idaho | $270 – $1,400 | $830 |
| Illinois | $340 – $1,650 | $1,000 |
| Indiana | $280 – $1,400 | $830 |
| Iowa | $290 – $1,450 | $860 |
| Kansas | $290 – $1,450 | $860 |
| Kentucky | $270 – $1,400 | $820 |
| Louisiana | $260 – $1,350 | $790 |
| Maine | $330 – $1,600 | $980 |
| Maryland | $280 – $1,450 | $850 |
| Massachusetts | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| Michigan | $280 – $1,400 | $830 |
| Minnesota | $340 – $1,650 | $1,000 |
| Mississippi | $250 – $1,300 | $770 |
| Missouri | $310 – $1,500 | $910 |
| Montana | $300 – $1,500 | $900 |
| Nebraska | $300 – $1,450 | $880 |
| Nevada | $310 – $1,500 | $910 |
| New Hampshire | $280 – $1,450 | $860 |
| New Jersey | $330 – $1,650 | $980 |
| New Mexico | $270 – $1,350 | $810 |
| New York | $330 – $1,650 | $980 |
| North Carolina | $270 – $1,350 | $810 |
| North Dakota | $260 – $1,350 | $800 |
| Ohio | $270 – $1,350 | $810 |
| Oklahoma | $260 – $1,300 | $790 |
| Oregon | $320 – $1,600 | $950 |
| Pennsylvania | $330 – $1,650 | $980 |
| Rhode Island | $280 – $1,400 | $850 |
| South Carolina | $260 – $1,350 | $800 |
| South Dakota | $280 – $1,400 | $840 |
| Tennessee | $260 – $1,350 | $800 |
| Texas | $270 – $1,400 | $830 |
| Utah | $280 – $1,400 | $840 |
| Vermont | $300 – $1,500 | $890 |
| Virginia | $280 – $1,450 | $860 |
| Washington | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 |
| West Virginia | $280 – $1,400 | $850 |
| Wisconsin | $310 – $1,500 | $910 |
| Wyoming | $290 – $1,450 | $870 |
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Kitchen backsplash cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash?
$300 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft at national prices, including a permit of $0 to $0.
+What is the average cost per sq ft?
$10 to $50 per sq ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $30.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 57% above the cheapest for the same 30 sq ft job. The cheapest is Little Rock, AR; the priciest is Honolulu, HI.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 42% at the national midpoint ($380). Materials are 58%.
+What do tile and stone setters earn on a kitchen backsplash job?
The national BLS median is $26.77 an hour for tile and stone setters, with the middle half earning $21.73 to $33.76. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium kitchen backsplash job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $300 to $780 and premium $1,000 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Related projects
Largest metros: Kitchen backsplash prices
- New York, NY$1,000 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$960 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$1,050 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$860 midpoint
- Houston, TX$840 midpoint
- Washington, DC$890 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$980 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$850 midpoint
- Miami, FL$870 midpoint
- Boston, MA$1,050 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$860 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$1,000 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$1,050 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$1,000 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$850 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$910 midpoint
- Denver, CO$920 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$970 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$810 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$820 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$810 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$850 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$950 midpoint
- Austin, TX$810 midpoint
- Portland, OR$970 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$930 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$980 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$790 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$960 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$820 midpoint
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Backsplash Installation Cost (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $5-$20 per sq ft labor figure, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.