Kitchen backsplash cost in Arizona
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.45 – $47.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 6
Arizona prices for kitchen backsplash: $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, or $9.45 to $47.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 5% below the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $25.00 an hour.
Inside Arizona, the metros we cover range from $820 (Lake Havasu City) to $860 (Phoenix) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Arizona (statewide), standard level
$620 to $1,100
About $21 to $36 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $640 |
| Labor | $270 | $440 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $620 | $1,100 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Arizona
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $860 | 59% |
| Labor | $140 | $350 | $560 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $850 | $1,400 | 100% |
Why two Arizona quotes can differ
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.
Related projects, priced for Arizona
Each project weights the trades differently, so Arizona's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets is −3% and tile flooring −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,100 | −4% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,100 – $13,500 | −3% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,500 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,500 – $22,200 | −5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $890 – $2,700 | −4% |
Which Arizona city is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $850, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (30 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | level |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | level |
| Yuma, AZ | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
| Tucson, AZ | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −1% |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −4% |
Arizona labor market for kitchen backsplash
Arizona's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.94 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $25.00 an hour, 7% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $20.66 and $30.39 an hour. About 1,060 work in the state. That is 3.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.17 an hour, 3% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.02 and $33.57 an hour. About 16,230 work in the state. That is 50.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($30.39 an hour) would add about $70 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.66) would take off about $55. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,239,430 jobs across Arizona (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $20.66 | $25.00 | $30.39 | $26.77 | 0.93 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.02 | $28.17 | $33.57 | $29.12 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Arizona prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$280 to $740
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$620 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$970 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $240 – $620 | $520 – $900 | $800 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $740 | $620 – $1,100 | $970 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $470 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
Arizona against its neighbors
Arizona ranks 29 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for kitchen backsplash, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,100 and the cheapest Arkansas at $760, both for 30 sq ft at the midpoint. Arizona sits at $850. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 340 miles away | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +7% |
| New Mexico | 340 miles away | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −5% |
| California | 430 miles away | $320 – $1,600 | $960 | +13% |
| Utah | 500 miles away | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −2% |
| Colorado | 590 miles away | $300 – $1,500 | $910 | +6% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Arizona: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Arizona?
$280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Arizona can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Arizona is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Lake Havasu City at about $820 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Phoenix at $860.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Arizona than the US average?
It is 5% cheaper: $850 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Arizona?
About 41% ($350). Materials are 59%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.94x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Arizona?
The BLS statewide median is $25.00 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.66 to $30.39.
+Where does Arizona rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
29th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $850 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Arizona?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $740 and premium work $970 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Arizona
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.