Kitchen backsplash cost in Pennsylvania
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
- 12
Pennsylvania 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 $33.77 an hour.
Inside Pennsylvania, the metros we cover range from $880 (Allentown) to $990 (York) 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 Pennsylvania (statewide), standard level
$720 to $1,250
About $24 to $41.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $350 | $570 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $720 | $1,250 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Pennsylvania
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $520 | $890 | 53% |
| Labor | $190 | $460 | $740 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $330 | $980 | $1,650 | 100% |
Other Pennsylvania jobs that often go with kitchen backsplash
Each project weights the trades differently, so Pennsylvania's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, tile flooring is +9% and kitchen cabinets −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,600 – $31,600 | level |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,200 – $13,900 | −1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,850 – $10,600 | +9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,900 – $24,400 | +5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $3,000 | +9% |
Pennsylvania metro-by-metro prices
5 of the 12 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $980, and the top-to-bottom gap is 13%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +1% |
| Scranton, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +1% |
| Altoona, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +1% |
| Erie, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +1% |
| State College, PA | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Reading, PA | $330 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Chambersburg, PA | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | level |
| Philadelphia, PA | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | −1% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −2% |
| Lancaster, PA | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −2% |
| Allentown, PA | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −11% |
Why two Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania number
Pennsylvania'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 1.23 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $33.77 an hour, 26% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $24.16 and $37.82 an hour. About 880 work in the state. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.54 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $35.92 an hour. About 30,630 work in the state. That is 50.5 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 ($37.82 an hour) would add about $50 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.16) would take off about $120. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,064,600 jobs across Pennsylvania (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $24.16 | $33.77 | $37.82 | $26.77 | 1.26 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.01 | $28.54 | $35.92 | $29.12 | 0.98 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.23 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Pennsylvania 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) | $280 – $710 | $600 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,350 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $330 – $850 | $720 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,650 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $560 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,700 |
Pennsylvania versus the states around it
Pennsylvania ranks 6 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. Pennsylvania sits at $980. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 70 miles away | $280 – $1,450 | $850 | −13% |
| Delaware | 100 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −11% |
| New Jersey | 100 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | level |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −5% |
| New York | 140 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | −1% |
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Pennsylvania, $9
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Kitchen backsplash in Pennsylvania: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Pennsylvania?
$330 to $1,650 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Pennsylvania can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Pennsylvania is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Allentown at about $880 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is York at $990.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
About 47% ($460). Materials are 53%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.23x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Pennsylvania?
The BLS statewide median is $33.77 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.16 to $37.82.
+Where does Pennsylvania rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
6th 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 Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania
- York, PA$990 midpoint
- Scranton, PA$990 midpoint
- Harrisburg, PA$990 midpoint
- Altoona, PA$990 midpoint
- Erie, PA$990 midpoint
- State College, PA$990 midpoint
- Reading, PA$990 midpoint
- Chambersburg, PA$980 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$980 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$960 midpoint
- Lancaster, PA$960 midpoint
- Allentown, PA$880 midpoint
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.