Kitchen backsplash cost in Washington
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $360 – $1,750
- Per sq ft
- $12 – $59
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 7
Across Washington, a kitchen backsplash costs about $360 to $1,750 for 30 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 18% above the US figure of $900. Tile and stone setters earn a median $37.46 an hour in Washington (US: $26.77).
Inside Washington, the metros we cover range from $1,000 (Spokane) to $1,150 (Bremerton) 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 Washington (statewide), standard level
$790 to $1,350
About $26 to $45 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $390 | $700 |
| Labor | $390 | $640 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $790 | $1,350 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Washington
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $160 | $550 | $940 | 51% |
| Labor | $210 | $520 | $830 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $360 | $1,050 | $1,750 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: Washington 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
$360 to $930
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$790 to $1,350
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,200 to $1,750
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $300 – $770 | $650 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $1,450 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $360 – $930 | $790 – $1,350 | $1,200 – $1,750 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $610 – $1,550 | $1,300 – $2,250 | $2,000 – $2,950 |
Wages behind the Washington number
Washington'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 1.38 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $37.46 an hour, 40% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $30.33 and $46.80 an hour. About 660 work in the state. That is 1.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $35.67 an hour, 22% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.15 and $44.55 an hour. About 26,960 work in the state. That is 75.9 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 ($46.80 an hour) would add about $120 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($30.33) would take off about $90. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,550,970 jobs across Washington (May 2025), which is 2.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $30.33 | $37.46 | $46.80 | $26.77 | 1.40 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $29.15 | $35.67 | $44.55 | $29.12 | 1.22 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.38 | |||||
Why two Washington 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.
If you are planning more than one job in Washington
Each project weights the trades differently, so Washington's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, shower pan is +21% and kitchen remodel +9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,200 – $34,500 | +9% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,700 – $16,300 | +15% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $3,150 – $11,400 | +18% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,550 – $27,600 | +18% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,200 – $3,350 | +21% |
Washington metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,050, and the top-to-bottom gap is 11%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton, WA | $390 – $1,850 | $1,150 | +6% |
| Seattle, WA | $370 – $1,800 | $1,050 | +1% |
| Bellingham, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | level |
| Kennewick, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | level |
| Yakima, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | level |
| Olympia, WA | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | level |
| Spokane, WA | $340 – $1,700 | $1,000 | −5% |
Washington versus the states around it
Washington ranks 2 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. Washington sits at $1,050. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
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Kitchen backsplash in Washington: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Washington?
$360 to $1,750 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Washington can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Washington is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Spokane at about $1,000 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Bremerton at $1,150.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Washington than the US average?
It is 18% more expensive: $1,050 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Washington?
About 49% ($520). Materials are 51%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.38x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Washington?
The BLS statewide median is $37.46 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.33 to $46.80.
+Where does Washington rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
2nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,050 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Washington?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $360 to $930 and premium work $1,200 to $1,750. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Washington
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.