Kitchen backsplash cost in Tuscaloosa, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $8.85 – $45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #234
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen backsplash in the Tuscaloosa area: $270 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 10% lower than the US figure. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $21.54 an hour in the Tuscaloosa area, 20% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Tuscaloosa, AL, standard level
$590 to $1,000
About $19.50 to $34 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $230 | $370 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $590 | $1,000 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Tuscaloosa, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 63% |
| Labor | $120 | $300 | $480 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $810 | $1,350 | 100% |
What is behind the Tuscaloosa number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Tuscaloosa wages are 0.80 times the national level. Labor makes up about 37% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Tuscaloosa is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $510 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 87.7: $0 to $0.
Data note: 90% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Tuscaloosa. The wage table below marks each row.
Who does the work: Tuscaloosa trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Tuscaloosa the blend is 0.80.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Tuscaloosa metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.54 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.91 and $22.86 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.49 an hour, 19% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.52 and $27.84 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 24.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $15 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $45. That is a swing of roughly 5.7% to 2.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Tuscaloosa has 108,460 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 192nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $17.91 | $21.54 | $22.86 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $20.52 | $23.49 | $27.84 | $29.12 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.80 | |||||
Tuscaloosa: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Tuscaloosa. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$270 to $700
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$590 to $1,000
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$920 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $220 – $580 | $490 – $850 | $760 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $700 | $590 – $1,000 | $920 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $440 – $1,150 | $980 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,250 |
How Tuscaloosa compares
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Huntsville is the priciest of the group at $820. Montgomery is the cheapest at $810.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, ALthis page | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | |
| Birmingham, AL60 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +1% |
| Montgomery, AL95 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Decatur, AL105 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Huntsville, AL130 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +1% |
| Auburn, AL140 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Alabama (statewide) | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Tuscaloosa ranks #234 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Tuscaloosa is 0% above the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +1% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Tuscaloosa against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laredo, TX | 109,370 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −1% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $290 – $1,500 | $890 | +10% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 114,780 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +4% |
| Columbia, MO | 107,680 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +11% |
What nearby projects cost in Tuscaloosa
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Tuscaloosa wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,500 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,900 – $12,400 | −11% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,100 | −9% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $820 – $2,550 | −10% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Tuscaloosa bid
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.
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
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Kitchen backsplash in Tuscaloosa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Tuscaloosa?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,350 in the Tuscaloosa area. A standard-spec job lands at $590 to $1,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Tuscaloosa?
About $8.85 to $45 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $50.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham?
Birmingham is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $810, which is 1% more than Tuscaloosa ($810). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Tuscaloosa?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $300 out of $810. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Tuscaloosa?
$270 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Tuscaloosa?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Tuscaloosa area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Tuscaloosa expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Alabama?
Tuscaloosa is 0% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($810 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Tuscaloosa?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $21.54 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.91 to $22.86.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Tuscaloosa?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $700 and premium work $920 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Tuscaloosa
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.