Kitchen backsplash cost in Madison, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $310 – $1,550
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $51
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +3%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #77
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Madison, WI usually costs $310 to $1,550 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $10.50 to $51 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $31.22 an hour in the Madison area, 17% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Madison, WI, standard level
$680 to $1,150
About $22.50 to $39 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $330 | $540 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $680 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Madison, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 53% |
| Labor | $170 | $430 | $690 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $310 | $930 | $1,550 | 100% |
Why Madison prices look the way they do
Labor is 47% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is tile and stone setters (90%), carpenters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Madison the blended ratio comes out at 1.15.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Madison is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $490 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.3: $0 to $0.
Specs and site conditions that change a Madison bid
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.
Planning more than one job in Madison?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Madison wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+12%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,100 – $30,900 | −2% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,200 – $14,400 | +2% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,700 – $10,100 | +3% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,000 – $24,900 | +7% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,100 – $3,050 | +12% |
Madison against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Madison. Dubuque is the lowest at about $860 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 80 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WIthis page | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | |
| Janesville, WI40 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | −1% |
| Rockford, IL60 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | +2% |
| Dubuque, IA80 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −7% |
| Oshkosh, WI85 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | level |
| La Crosse, WI85 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −2% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Madison ranks #77 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Madison is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | level |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | −2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | level |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −2% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Madison against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −14% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −11% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −13% |
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | +2% |
What local crews earn in Madison
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 Madison the blend is 1.15.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $31.22 an hour, 17% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $28.31 and $37.00 an hour. About 50 work in the metro. That is 1.2 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 $30.52 an hour, 5% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.71 and $39.68 an hour. About 2,320 work in the metro. That is 56.9 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 $75 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $35. That is a swing of roughly 4.0% to 7.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Madison has 408,070 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 61st 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% | $28.31 | $31.22 | $37.00 | $26.77 | 1.17 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $25.71 | $30.52 | $39.68 | $29.12 | 1.05 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Madison
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Madison. 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
$310 to $800
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$680 to $1,150
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,050 to $1,550
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $260 – $670 | $570 – $970 | $870 – $1,300 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $310 – $800 | $680 – $1,150 | $1,050 – $1,550 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $520 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,550 |
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Madison, WI, $9
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Kitchen backsplash in Madison: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Madison?
For 30 sq ft, expect $310 to $1,550 in the Madison area. A standard-spec job lands at $680 to $1,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Madison?
About $10.50 to $51 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 Madison or Janesville?
Janesville is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $920, which is 1% less than Madison ($930). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Madison?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $430 out of $930. Materials are 53% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Madison?
$310 to $1,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Madison?
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 Madison area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Madison expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Madison is 1% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($910 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Madison?
The BLS median is $31.22 an hour in the Madison area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.31 to $37.00.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Madison?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $310 to $800 and premium work $1,050 to $1,550. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Madison
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.