Kitchen backsplash cost in Salt Lake City, UT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.35 – $47
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #145
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Salt Lake City, UT usually costs $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $9.35 to $47 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $55 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $24.04 an hour in the Salt Lake City area, 10% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Salt Lake City, UT, standard level
$620 to $1,050
About $20.50 to $36 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $260 | $420 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $620 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Salt Lake City, UT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 60% |
| Labor | $140 | $340 | $540 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $850 | $1,400 | 100% |
Where the Salt Lake City price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Salt Lake City wages are 0.91 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Salt Lake City is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $510 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.9: $0 to $0.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Salt Lake City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Salt Lake City. 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
$280 to $730
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$620 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$960 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $610 | $520 – $890 | $800 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $620 – $1,050 | $960 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $470 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Salt Lake City bid
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.
Planning more than one job in Salt Lake City?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Salt Lake City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen cabinets comes out highest (−2%) and tile flooring lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,900 – $30,500 | −3% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,800 | −2% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,500 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,550 – $22,500 | −3% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $890 – $2,700 | −3% |
What local crews earn in Salt Lake City
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 Salt Lake City the blend is 0.91.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $24.04 an hour, 10% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $22.11 and $28.54 an hour. About 970 work in the metro. That is 11.7 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 $28.78 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.83 and $31.00 an hour. About 6,420 work in the metro. That is 77.7 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 $55 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 2.9% to 6.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Salt Lake City-Murray has 826,210 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 37th 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% | $22.11 | $24.04 | $28.54 | $26.77 | 0.90 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.83 | $28.78 | $31.00 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Is Salt Lake City cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Provo is the priciest of the group at $870. Idaho Falls is the cheapest at $770.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UTthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | |
| Provo, UT60 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | +3% |
| Ogden, UT70 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| Logan, UT110 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −1% |
| Idaho Falls, ID210 miles | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −9% |
| St. George, UT230 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −4% |
| Utah (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Salt Lake City ranks #145 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Salt Lake City is 1% above the Utah figure.
Elsewhere in Utah
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provo, UT | 304,660 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | +3% |
| Ogden, UT | 271,370 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −3% |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −4% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Salt Lake City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −2% |
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +9% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $940 | +11% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −4% |
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The report lays out the kitchen backsplash numbers for Salt Lake City, UT line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Kitchen backsplash in Salt Lake City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Salt Lake City?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Salt Lake City area. A standard-spec job lands at $620 to $1,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Salt Lake City?
About $9.35 to $47 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 Salt Lake City or Provo?
Provo is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $870, which is 3% more than Salt Lake City ($850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Salt Lake City?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $340 out of $850. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Salt Lake City?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Salt Lake City?
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 Salt Lake City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Salt Lake City expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Utah?
Salt Lake City is 1% above the Utah statewide estimate ($840 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Utah; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Salt Lake City?
The BLS median is $24.04 an hour in the Salt Lake City area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.11 to $28.54.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Salt Lake City?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $960 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Salt Lake City
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.