Kitchen backsplash cost in Utah
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.25 – $46.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 5
Utah prices for kitchen backsplash: $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, or $9.25 to $46.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 7% below the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $23.72 an hour.
Inside Utah, the metros we cover range from $810 (St. George) to $870 (Provo) 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 Utah (statewide), standard level
$610 to $1,050
About $20.50 to $35.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $250 | $410 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $610 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Utah
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 60% |
| Labor | $130 | $330 | $530 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | 100% |
How Utah compares with nearby states
Utah ranks 34 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. Utah sits at $840. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
What tile and stone setters and the other trades earn in Utah
Utah'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 0.88 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $23.72 an hour, 11% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $21.08 and $28.45 an hour. About 1,590 work in the state. That is 9.2 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 $25.17 an hour, 14% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.04 and $30.20 an hour. About 15,220 work in the state. That is 87.7 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 ($28.45 an hour) would add about $60 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($21.08) would take off about $35. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,735,590 jobs across Utah (May 2025), which is 1.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $21.08 | $23.72 | $28.45 | $26.77 | 0.89 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.04 | $25.17 | $30.20 | $29.12 | 0.86 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Utah metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 5 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $840, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provo, UT | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | +4% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +1% |
| Logan, UT | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| Ogden, UT | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −2% |
| St. George, UT | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
Basic, standard or premium: Utah 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
$280 to $730
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$610 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$950 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $600 | $510 – $890 | $790 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $610 – $1,050 | $950 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $460 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
Why two Utah 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.
Related projects, priced for Utah
Each project weights the trades differently, so Utah's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen remodel is −5% and kitchen cabinets −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,600 – $30,000 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $13,000 | −7% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $870 – $2,650 | −5% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Utah: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Utah?
$280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Utah can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Utah is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
St. George at about $810 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Provo at $870.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Utah than the US average?
It is 7% cheaper: $840 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Utah?
About 40% ($330). Materials are 60%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.88x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Utah?
The BLS statewide median is $23.72 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.08 to $28.45.
+Where does Utah rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
34th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $840 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Utah?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $950 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Utah
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.