Kitchen backsplash cost in Harrisburg, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $340 – $1,650
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $55
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #21
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Harrisburg, plan on $340 to $1,650 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $11 to $55 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% higher than the national one. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $33.77 an hour in the Harrisburg area, 26% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Harrisburg, PA, standard level
$730 to $1,250
About $24.50 to $41.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $350 | $570 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $730 | $1,250 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Harrisburg, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $910 | 53% |
| Labor | $180 | $460 | $740 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $340 | $990 | $1,650 | 100% |
What is behind the Harrisburg number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Harrisburg wages are 1.23 times the national level. Labor makes up about 47% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Pennsylvania statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Harrisburg metro is 100.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $530, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (98.7) 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 Harrisburg. The wage table below marks each row.
Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg is 1.23 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Harrisburg metro, so we used the Pennsylvania statewide median: $33.77 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.16 and $37.82 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.74 an hour, which is 5% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $34.00 an hour. BLS counts 1,320 of them working in the area, 39.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.82 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $50. At the 25th percentile ($24.16) it shrinks by about $120. The total moves by 5.2% or 12.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 335,010 jobs in the Harrisburg-Carlisle area. That makes it the 78th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.22% 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% | $23.14 | $27.74 | $34.00 | $29.12 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.23 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Harrisburg
Because every project leans on different trades, Harrisburg's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +12% and kitchen cabinets level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,800 – $32,000 | +2% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,250 – $13,900 | level |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,850 – $10,700 | +10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,000 – $24,800 | +7% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,100 – $3,100 | +12% |
Cost by quality level and size in Harrisburg
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Harrisburg 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
$340 to $860
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$730 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 – $720 | $610 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,350 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $340 – $860 | $730 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,650 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $560 – $1,450 | $1,200 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $2,750 |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Harrisburg
Part of a remodel
A backsplash often gets bundled into a kitchen remodel and priced with it.
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.
How Harrisburg compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Harrisburg. Lancaster is the lowest at about $960 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 45 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg, PAthis page | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | |
| York, PA35 miles | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Chambersburg, PA45 miles | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | −1% |
| Lancaster, PA45 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −3% |
| State College, PA60 miles | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Reading, PA60 miles | $330 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −9% |
Across 300 US metros, Harrisburg comes in at #21 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Harrisburg is 1% above the Pennsylvania figure.
Other Pennsylvania metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | −1% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −3% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −11% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −3% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Harrisburg's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Harrisburg against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | 338,230 jobs | $320 – $1,600 | $950 | −4% |
| Oxnard, CA | 323,890 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −6% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −19% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −18% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Harrisburg: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Harrisburg?
For 30 sq ft, expect $340 to $1,650 in the Harrisburg area. A standard-spec job lands at $730 to $1,250. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Harrisburg?
About $11 to $55 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 Harrisburg or York?
York is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $990, which is 0% more than Harrisburg ($990). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Harrisburg?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $460 out of $990. Materials are 53% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Harrisburg?
$340 to $1,650. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Harrisburg?
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 Harrisburg area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Harrisburg expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Harrisburg is 1% above the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($980 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Harrisburg?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $33.77 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.16 to $37.82.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Harrisburg?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $340 to $860 and premium work $1,100 to $1,650. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Harrisburg
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.