Kitchen backsplash cost in Pittsburgh, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $330 – $1,600
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $53.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #38
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Pittsburgh, PA usually costs $330 to $1,600 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $11 to $53.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $65 more. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $31.61 an hour in the Pittsburgh area, 18% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Pittsburgh, PA, standard level
$710 to $1,200
About $23.50 to $40.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $330 | $540 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $710 | $1,200 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Pittsburgh, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $910 | 55% |
| Labor | $170 | $440 | $700 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $330 | $960 | $1,600 | 100% |
Why Pittsburgh 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 $31.61 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Pittsburgh is 1.16 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 45% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Pittsburgh is at 100.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $530 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 94.7: $0 to $0.
Related projects, priced for Pittsburgh
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Pittsburgh wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+7%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,800 – $31,900 | +1% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,250 – $14,200 | +1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,750 – $10,500 | +7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,900 – $24,400 | +5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $2,950 | +7% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Pittsburgh
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Pittsburgh. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$330 to $840
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$710 to $1,200
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,100 to $1,600
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $270 – $700 | $590 – $1,000 | $910 – $1,350 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $330 – $840 | $710 – $1,200 | $1,100 – $1,600 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $540 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $2,050 | $1,800 – $2,650 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Pittsburgh bid
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.
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
What local crews earn in Pittsburgh
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Pittsburgh the blend is 1.16.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $31.61 an hour, 18% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $24.64 and $38.35 an hour. About 230 work in the metro. That is 2.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.41 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.40 and $38.14 an hour. About 5,920 work in the metro. That is 53.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $85 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $90. That is a swing of roughly 9.1% to 8.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Pittsburgh has 1,114,490 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 29th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $24.64 | $31.61 | $38.35 | $26.77 | 1.18 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.40 | $29.41 | $38.14 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
Is Pittsburgh cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Pittsburgh. Youngstown is the lowest at about $790 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 70 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PAthis page | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | |
| Wheeling, WV60 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −12% |
| Morgantown, WV65 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −12% |
| Youngstown, OH70 miles | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | −19% |
| Canton, OH75 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −16% |
| Altoona, PA80 miles | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +3% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +2% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Pittsburgh ranks #38 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Pittsburgh is 2% below the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | +1% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −9% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +3% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +3% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | level |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Pittsburgh against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $790 | −18% |
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −15% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +2% |
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −13% |
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Pittsburgh, PA, $9
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Kitchen backsplash in Pittsburgh: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Pittsburgh?
For 30 sq ft, expect $330 to $1,600 in the Pittsburgh area. A standard-spec job lands at $710 to $1,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Pittsburgh?
About $11 to $53.50 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 Pittsburgh or Wheeling?
Wheeling is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $850, which is 12% less than Pittsburgh ($960). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Pittsburgh?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $440 out of $960. Materials are 55% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Pittsburgh?
$330 to $1,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Pittsburgh?
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 Pittsburgh area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Pittsburgh expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Pittsburgh is 2% below 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 Pittsburgh?
The BLS median is $31.61 an hour in the Pittsburgh area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.64 to $38.35.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Pittsburgh?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $330 to $840 and premium work $1,100 to $1,600. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Pittsburgh
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.