Kitchen backsplash cost in Montana
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $300 – $1,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $49.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 3
Montana prices for kitchen backsplash: $300 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft, or $10 to $49.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 0% below the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $28.21 an hour.
Inside Montana, the metros we cover range from $900 (Missoula) to $900 (Bozeman) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
Estimate your kitchen backsplash cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Montana (statewide), standard level
$660 to $1,150
About $22 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $300 | $490 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $660 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Montana
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $860 | 56% |
| Labor | $160 | $390 | $630 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $300 | $900 | $1,500 | 100% |
Other Montana jobs that often go with kitchen backsplash
Each project weights the trades differently, so Montana's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, shower pan is +7% and kitchen remodel −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,200 – $30,900 | −2% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,900 | −1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,900 | level |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,900 – $24,200 | +4% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $2,950 | +7% |
Why two Montana 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.
Wages behind the Montana number
Montana'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 1.05 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $28.21 an hour, 5% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $23.23 and $29.82 an hour. About 240 work in the state. That is 4.7 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 $28.28 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.84 and $32.47 an hour. About 4,030 work in the state. That is 78.8 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 ($29.82 an hour) would add about $20 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.23) would take off about $65. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 511,580 jobs across Montana (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $23.23 | $28.21 | $29.82 | $26.77 | 1.05 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.84 | $28.28 | $32.47 | $29.12 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
Montana versus the states around it
Montana ranks 19 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. Montana sits at $900. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 270 miles away | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −8% |
| Utah | 400 miles away | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −7% |
| Wyoming | 460 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | −3% |
| Washington | 500 miles away | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +19% |
| Colorado | 550 miles away | $300 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
Kitchen backsplash cost by metro in Montana
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $900, and the top-to-bottom gap is 1%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
| Billings, MT | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| Missoula, MT | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
Basic, standard or premium: Montana 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
$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
| 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 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $660 to $1,150 for Montana is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Montana: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Kitchen backsplash in Montana: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Montana?
$300 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Montana can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Montana is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Missoula at about $900 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Bozeman at $900.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Montana than the US average?
It is 0% cheaper: $900 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Montana?
About 44% ($390). Materials are 56%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.05x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Montana?
The BLS statewide median is $28.21 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.23 to $29.82.
+Where does Montana rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
19th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $900 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Montana?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $300 to $780 and premium work $1,000 to $1,500. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Montana
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.