Kitchen backsplash cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $310 – $1,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #95
- 1 = most expensive
Wausau homeowners pay roughly $310 to $1,500 to install a backsplash at 30 sq ft, or $10 to $50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Wausau is almost level. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $30.14 an hour in the Wausau area, 13% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Wausau, WI, standard level
$660 to $1,150
About $22 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $310 | $510 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $660 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 55% |
| Labor | $160 | $410 | $660 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $310 | $900 | $1,500 | 100% |
Where the Wausau price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on tile and stone setters, who do 90% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $30.14 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Wausau is 1.10 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 45% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Wausau metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $490, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.7) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 90% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Wausau is 1.10 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wausau metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $30.14 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.44 and $36.42 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $24.03 an hour, which is 17% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $29.66 an hour. BLS counts 370 of them working in the area, 53.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.42 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $80. At the 25th percentile ($27.44) it shrinks by about $35. The total moves by 8.8% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 69,530 jobs in the Wausau area. That makes it the 261st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $27.44 | $30.14 | $36.42 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.14 | $24.03 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.10 | |||||
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Wausau
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.
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
What nearby projects cost in Wausau
Because every project leans on different trades, Wausau's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +11% and kitchen cabinets −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,100 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $13,000 | −7% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,600 – $9,950 | +1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,100 – $3,050 | +11% |
Cost by quality level and size in Wausau
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Wausau wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$310 to $780
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$660 to $1,150
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,000 to $1,500
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $250 – $650 | $550 – $950 | $850 – $1,250 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $310 – $780 | $660 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $510 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,500 |
How Wausau compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Wausau. Green Bay comes closest at about $900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +2% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
Across 300 US metros, Wausau comes in at #95 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Wausau is 1% below the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +2% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Wausau's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +2% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −6% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −7% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +9% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Wausau?
For 30 sq ft, expect $310 to $1,500 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $660 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 Wausau?
About $10 to $50 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 Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $910, which is 1% more than Wausau ($900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $410 out of $900. Materials are 55% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Wausau?
$310 to $1,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Wausau?
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 Wausau area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 1% below 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 Wausau?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.14 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.44 to $36.42.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Wausau?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $310 to $780 and premium work $1,000 to $1,500. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Wausau
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.