Tile flooring cost in Milwaukee, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,700 – $10,100
- Per sq ft
- $13.50 – $50.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +3%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #79
- 1 = most expensive
A tile floor in Milwaukee, WI usually costs $2,700 to $10,100 for 200 sq ft. That works out to about $13.50 to $50.50 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 $30.85 an hour in the Milwaukee area, 15% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI, standard level
$4,900 to $7,850
About $24.50 to $39 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $4,700 |
| Labor | $2,650 | $3,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,900 | $7,850 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $3,450 | $6,550 | 54% |
| Labor | $2,300 | $2,900 | $3,500 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,700 | $6,400 | $10,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Milwaukee number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Milwaukee wages are 1.16 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (40% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Milwaukee is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,700 nationally becomes $3,450 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.9: $0 to $0.
What nearby projects cost in Milwaukee
Jobs that often go together with tile floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Milwaukee wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+11%) and laminate flooring lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,350 – $12,100 | −3% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,950 – $6,750 | −3% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,950 – $24,600 | +6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,100 – $3,050 | +11% |
What local crews earn in Milwaukee
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 Milwaukee the blend is 1.16.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 85% of the weighting: a median of $30.85 an hour, 15% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $28.36 and $36.45 an hour. About 120 work in the metro. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $27.61 an hour, which is 22% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $37.52 an hour. BLS counts 4,740 of them working in the area, 57.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $440 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $200. That is a swing of roughly 3.1% to 7.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Milwaukee-Waukesha has 820,780 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 38th 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) | 85% | $28.36 | $30.85 | $36.45 | $26.77 | 1.15 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.17 | $27.61 | $37.52 | $22.66 | 1.22 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
Tile flooring: what moves the price in Milwaukee
Labor
Labor starts around $5 per sq ft for the simplest jobs and tops $20 for patterns or premium tile.
Tile alone
Tile costs $2-$35 per sq ft before installation, which is what makes the range so wide.
Subfloor
Uneven or damaged subfloors need prep work before the tile goes down.
Cost by quality level and size in Milwaukee
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Milwaukee. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from bathroom (50 sq ft) to main floor (400 sq ft).
Basic
$2,700 to $5,650
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,900 to $7,850
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$7,100 to $10,100
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $670 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,800 – $2,500 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $2,000 – $4,250 | $3,700 – $5,900 | $5,350 – $7,550 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $5,400 – $11,300 | $9,800 – $15,700 | $14,200 – $20,100 |
How Milwaukee compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Milwaukee. Racine is the lowest at about $6,300 (midpoint, 200 sq ft), 10 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WIthis page | $2,700 – $10,100 | $6,400 | |
| Racine, WI10 miles | $2,650 – $9,950 | $6,300 | −1% |
| Kenosha, WI20 miles | $2,650 – $10,800 | $6,700 | +5% |
| Sheboygan, WI55 miles | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,300 | −1% |
| Janesville, WI65 miles | $2,650 – $9,950 | $6,300 | −1% |
| Rockford, IL70 miles | $2,800 – $10,200 | $6,500 | +2% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | −1% |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | −3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Milwaukee ranks #79 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $2,700 – $10,100 | $6,400 | level |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $2,600 – $9,900 | $6,250 | −2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | −1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $2,600 – $9,950 | $6,250 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | −1% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Milwaukee against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $2,200 – $9,500 | $5,850 | −8% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $2,050 – $9,250 | $5,650 | −12% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $2,250 – $9,400 | $5,800 | −9% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $2,000 – $9,200 | $5,600 | −12% |
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Tile flooring in Milwaukee: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Milwaukee?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,700 to $10,100 in the Milwaukee area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,900 to $7,850. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Milwaukee?
About $13.50 to $50.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $12 to $50.
+Is tile floor cheaper in Milwaukee or Racine?
Racine is 10 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $6,300, which is 1% less than Milwaukee ($6,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Milwaukee?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $2,900 out of $6,400. Materials are 54% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Milwaukee?
$2,000 to $7,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor need a permit in Milwaukee?
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 Milwaukee area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Milwaukee expensive for tile floor compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($6,350 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Milwaukee?
The BLS median is $30.85 an hour in the Milwaukee area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.36 to $36.45.
+What do basic and premium tile floor work cost in Milwaukee?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,700 to $5,650 and premium work $7,100 to $10,100. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring near Milwaukee
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.