Kitchen backsplash cost in New York
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $330 – $1,650
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $54.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 9
New York prices for kitchen backsplash: $330 to $1,650 for 30 sq ft, or $11 to $54.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 9% above the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $29.45 an hour.
Inside New York, the metros we cover range from $910 (Albany) to $1,000 (New York) 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 New York (statewide), standard level
$720 to $1,250
About $24 to $41.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $400 | $720 |
| Labor | $320 | $520 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $720 | $1,250 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in New York
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $160 | $560 | $970 | 58% |
| Labor | $170 | $420 | $670 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $330 | $980 | $1,650 | 100% |
Which New York city is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
1 of the 9 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $980, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $330 – $1,650 | $1,000 | +2% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | level |
| Rochester, NY | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| Binghamton, NY | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| Kingston, NY | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| Utica, NY | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| Syracuse, NY | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| Buffalo, NY | $310 – $1,500 | $920 | −6% |
| Albany, NY | $300 – $1,500 | $910 | −7% |
Why two New York 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.
New York labor market for kitchen backsplash
New York'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 1.11 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $29.45 an hour, 10% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $24.10 and $35.91 an hour. About 2,990 work in the state. That is 3.1 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 $34.77 an hour, 19% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.56 and $43.18 an hour. About 40,630 work in the state. That is 41.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($35.91 an hour) would add about $80 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.10) 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 9,688,000 jobs across New York (May 2025), which is 6.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $24.10 | $29.45 | $35.91 | $26.77 | 1.10 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $27.56 | $34.77 | $43.18 | $29.12 | 1.19 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.11 | |||||
Related projects, priced for New York
Each project weights the trades differently, so New York's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets is +14% and tile flooring +9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,200 – $34,500 | +9% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,700 – $16,000 | +14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,650 – $10,800 | +9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,300 – $26,200 | +12% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $3,100 | +12% |
How New York compares with nearby states
New York ranks 8 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. New York sits at $980. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 80 miles away | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| New Jersey | 100 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | level |
| Pennsylvania | 140 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +1% |
| Delaware | 150 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −10% |
| Rhode Island | 160 miles away | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −14% |
Basic, standard or premium: New York 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
$330 to $850
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$720 to $1,250
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,100 to $1,650
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $270 – $710 | $600 – $1,050 | $920 – $1,350 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $330 – $850 | $720 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,650 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $550 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,700 |
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 $720 to $1,250 for New York is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the kitchen backsplash numbers for New York line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 New York: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in New York?
$330 to $1,650 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New York can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New York is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Albany at about $910 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is New York at $1,000.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in New York than the US average?
It is 9% more expensive: $980 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New York?
About 42% ($420). Materials are 58%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.11x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in New York?
The BLS statewide median is $29.45 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.10 to $35.91.
+Where does New York rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
8th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $980 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in New York?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $330 to $850 and premium work $1,100 to $1,650. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in New York
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.