Kitchen backsplash cost in Atlanta, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.30 – $47.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #144
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Atlanta, GA usually costs $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $9.30 to $47.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $50 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.00 an hour in the Atlanta area, 14% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Atlanta, GA, standard level
$620 to $1,100
About $20.50 to $36 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $240 | $400 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $620 | $1,100 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Atlanta, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $900 | 62% |
| Labor | $130 | $320 | $510 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $850 | $1,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Atlanta number
The wage side of the estimate leans on tile and stone setters, who do 90% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.00 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Atlanta is 0.86 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 38% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Atlanta is at 100.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $530 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.1: $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 Atlanta. The wage table below marks each row.
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Atlanta
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Atlanta
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Atlanta. 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
$280 to $730
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$620 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$960 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $610 | $520 – $900 | $800 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $620 – $1,100 | $960 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $470 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
What local crews earn in Atlanta
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 Atlanta the blend is 0.86.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Atlanta metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median: $23.00 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.94 and $27.57 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.37 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.71 and $28.29 an hour. About 6,380 work in the metro. That is 22.1 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 $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 3.1% to 6.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has 2,889,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 8th 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% | $20.94 | $23.00 | $27.57 | $26.77 | 0.86 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.71 | $24.37 | $28.29 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Atlanta?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Atlanta wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−2%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,200 – $30,900 | −2% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,100 – $12,900 | −7% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,150 – $9,600 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,200 | −5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $850 – $2,650 | −6% |
Atlanta against nearby metros and the rest of Georgia
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Atlanta is the priciest of the group. Macon is the cheapest at $820.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GAthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | |
| Gainesville, GA50 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | −3% |
| Athens, GA70 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Macon, GA70 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Dalton, GA80 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Warner Robins, GA95 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | −3% |
| Georgia (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Atlanta ranks #144 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Atlanta is 1% above the Georgia figure.
Elsewhere in Georgia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −2% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | −3% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | −3% |
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Atlanta against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | +15% |
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | +2% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $290 – $1,500 | $890 | +4% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $370 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +26% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Atlanta: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Atlanta?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Atlanta area. A standard-spec job lands at $620 to $1,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Atlanta?
About $9.30 to $47.50 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 Atlanta or Gainesville?
Gainesville is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $820, which is 3% less than Atlanta ($850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Atlanta?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $320 out of $850. Materials are 62% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Atlanta?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Atlanta?
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 Atlanta area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Atlanta expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Georgia?
Atlanta is 1% above the Georgia statewide estimate ($840 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Atlanta?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.00 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.94 to $27.57.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Atlanta?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $960 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Atlanta
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.