Kitchen backsplash cost in Texas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.10 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 21
Texas prices for kitchen backsplash: $270 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, or $9.10 to $46 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 8% below the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $22.61 an hour.
Inside Texas, the metros we cover range from $790 (San Antonio) to $860 (Dallas) 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 Texas (statewide), standard level
$610 to $1,050
About $20 to $35 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $660 |
| Labor | $240 | $390 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $610 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Texas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $510 | $880 | 62% |
| Labor | $130 | $320 | $500 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $830 | $1,400 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Texas
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Texas wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$270 to $720
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$610 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$940 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $600 | $510 – $880 | $780 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $720 | $610 – $1,050 | $940 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $460 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
Related projects, priced for Texas
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Texas wages and prices. Against national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−4%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−9%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,100 | −4% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $12,600 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,100 – $9,400 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,350 – $21,500 | −8% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $840 – $2,600 | −7% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Texas
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.
Texas versus the states around it
Texas ranks 38 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. Texas sits at $830. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 330 miles away | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | −5% |
| Louisiana | 360 miles away | $260 – $1,350 | $790 | −4% |
| Arkansas | 390 miles away | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | −9% |
| Mississippi | 450 miles away | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −7% |
| Kansas | 490 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +4% |
Wages behind the Texas number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.84 for Texas.
For tile and stone setters (47-2044, weighted 90%) the local median is $22.61 an hour, which is 16% below the national $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $26.45 an hour. BLS counts 1,260 of them working in the state, 0.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $23.51 an hour, which is 19% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.48 and $27.78 an hour. BLS counts 33,540 of them working in the state, 23.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($26.45 an hour) would add about $50 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($19.28) would take off about $40. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 14,071,160 jobs across Texas (May 2025), which is 9.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $19.28 | $22.61 | $26.45 | $26.77 | 0.84 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.48 | $23.51 | $27.78 | $29.12 | 0.81 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Kitchen backsplash cost by metro in Texas
2 of the 21 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $830, and the top-to-bottom gap is 8%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | +4% |
| Houston, TX | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +2% |
| Midland, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −2% |
| Beaumont, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −2% |
| Odessa, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −2% |
| Austin, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Amarillo, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Killeen, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Waco, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| College Station, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Longview, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Tyler, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Lubbock, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Abilene, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| El Paso, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Texarkana, TX | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| McAllen, TX | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Laredo, TX | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Brownsville, TX | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −4% |
| San Antonio, TX | $260 – $1,350 | $790 | −4% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Texas: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Texas?
$270 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Texas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Texas is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
San Antonio at about $790 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Dallas at $860.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Texas than the US average?
It is 8% cheaper: $830 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Texas?
About 38% ($320). Materials are 62%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.84x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Texas?
The BLS statewide median is $22.61 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.28 to $26.45.
+Where does Texas rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $830 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Texas?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $720 and premium work $940 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Texas
- Dallas, TX$860 midpoint
- Houston, TX$840 midpoint
- Midland, TX$810 midpoint
- Beaumont, TX$810 midpoint
- Odessa, TX$810 midpoint
- Austin, TX$810 midpoint
- Amarillo, TX$810 midpoint
- Killeen, TX$810 midpoint
- Waco, TX$810 midpoint
- Corpus Christi, TX$810 midpoint
- College Station, TX$810 midpoint
- Longview, TX$810 midpoint
- Tyler, TX$800 midpoint
- Lubbock, TX$800 midpoint
- Abilene, TX$800 midpoint
- El Paso, TX$800 midpoint
- Texarkana, TX$800 midpoint
- McAllen, TX$800 midpoint
- Laredo, TX$800 midpoint
- Brownsville, TX$800 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$790 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.