Kitchen backsplash cost in Lincoln, NE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $300 – $1,450
- Per sq ft
- $9.90 – $49
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #118
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Lincoln, plan on $300 to $1,450 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.90 to $49 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.1).
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Lincoln, NE, standard level
$650 to $1,100
About $21.50 to $37.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $640 |
| Labor | $300 | $480 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $650 | $1,100 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Lincoln, NE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $850 | 56% |
| Labor | $160 | $390 | $620 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $300 | $880 | $1,450 | 100% |
Why Lincoln prices look the way they do
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 $28.53 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Lincoln is 1.04 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 44% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Nebraska statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Lincoln metro is 94.1 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $490, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.6) and land at $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 Lincoln. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Lincoln bid
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.
Planning more than one job in Lincoln?
Because every project leans on different trades, Lincoln's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, tile flooring runs −1% and kitchen cabinets −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,850 – $12,500 | −11% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,750 | −1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $920 – $2,700 | −2% |
How Lincoln compares
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Omaha is the priciest of the group at $900. Sioux City is the cheapest at $850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NEthis page | $300 – $1,450 | $880 | |
| Omaha, NE55 miles | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
| Sioux City, IA120 miles | $290 – $1,400 | $850 | −3% |
| Topeka, KS135 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −3% |
| Des Moines, IA170 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −3% |
| Kansas City, MO185 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −1% |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $300 – $1,450 | $880 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +2% |
Across 300 US metros, Lincoln comes in at #118 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska figure.
Other Nebraska metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Lincoln's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lincoln against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +12% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −5% |
| Tallahassee, FL | 186,160 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −7% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −3% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Lincoln
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Lincoln wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$300 to $770
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$650 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,000 to $1,450
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $250 – $640 | $540 – $930 | $840 – $1,250 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $300 – $770 | $650 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $1,450 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $500 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,850 | $1,650 – $2,450 |
Lincoln labor market for kitchen backsplash
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Lincoln is 1.04 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lincoln metro, so we used the Nebraska statewide median: $28.53 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.15 and $29.44 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $24.00 an hour, which is 18% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.70 and $28.77 an hour. BLS counts 1,020 of them working in the area, 55.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($29.44 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $10. At the 25th percentile ($23.15) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 1.3% or 7.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 182,620 jobs in the Lincoln area. That makes it the 126th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.12% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $23.15 | $28.53 | $29.44 | $26.77 | 1.07 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.70 | $24.00 | $28.77 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Lincoln: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Lincoln?
For 30 sq ft, expect $300 to $1,450 in the Lincoln area. A standard-spec job lands at $650 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 Lincoln?
About $9.90 to $49 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 Lincoln or Omaha?
Omaha is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $900, which is 1% more than Lincoln ($880). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lincoln?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $390 out of $880. Materials are 56% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Lincoln?
$300 to $1,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Lincoln?
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 Lincoln area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lincoln expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Nebraska?
Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska statewide estimate ($880 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Nebraska; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Lincoln?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.53 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.15 to $29.44.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Lincoln?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $300 to $770 and premium work $1,000 to $1,450. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Lincoln
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.