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Painter apprentice vs tile setter

The differences between painter apprentices and tile setters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a painter apprentice, becoming a tile setter takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a tile setter has an average salary of $40,363, which is higher than the $37,030 average annual salary of a painter apprentice.

The top three skills for a painter apprentice include work ethic, coats and scaffolding. The most important skills for a tile setter are floor designs, kitchen floors, and demo.

Painter apprentice vs tile setter overview

Painter ApprenticeTile Setter
Yearly salary$37,030$40,363
Hourly rate$17.80$19.41
Growth rate1%4%
Number of jobs9,6126,365
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 51%High School Diploma, 51%
Average age4240
Years of experience-2

What does a painter apprentice do?

Painter Apprentices work for an organization either full time or part-time while undertaking formal training on the job. Their duties include working out needed materials quantity through job specifications, drawings, or surface measurements, and erecting structures to protect the area from paint such as ladders, scaffoldings, and drop sheets. Painter Apprentices are responsible for removing old paint, preparing surfaces, selecting paints, rolling, brushing, and spraying paint, wallpapering, and putting on decorative finishes such as marbling, color glaze, and stencils.

What does a tile setter do?

A Tile Setter often does tile installations. First of all, he/she cuts the tiles into different or specific sizes using different tools like tile scribes, handheld tile cutters, or wet saws. After this, he/she lays them in the mortar that has been spread evenly; he/she does it with precision, ensuring clean edges and straight lines. In essence, you will have the responsibility to meet up with clients, discuss tiling requirements, order stock supplies, cut tiles to size, and install them according to clients' needs or specifications.

Painter apprentice vs tile setter salary

Painter apprentices and tile setters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Painter ApprenticeTile Setter
Average salary$37,030$40,363
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $47,000Between $25,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CitySanta Rosa, CAMentor, OH
Highest paying stateCaliforniaAlaska
Best paying companyComtech TelecommunicationsSandia National Labs
Best paying industryConstructionTechnology

Differences between painter apprentice and tile setter education

There are a few differences between a painter apprentice and a tile setter in terms of educational background:

Painter ApprenticeTile Setter
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 51%High School Diploma, 51%
Most common majorFine ArtsBusiness
Most common college--

Painter apprentice vs tile setter demographics

Here are the differences between painter apprentices' and tile setters' demographics:

Painter ApprenticeTile Setter
Average age4240
Gender ratioMale, 87.3% Female, 12.7%Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 32.1% Asian, 2.5% White, 51.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 30.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage5%3%

Differences between painter apprentice and tile setter duties and responsibilities

Painter apprentice example responsibilities.

  • Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
  • Used HVLP spray gun to paint truck and horse trailer.
  • Conduct job performance evaluations, JHA, and JSA.
  • Operate scissor lifts and boom lifts to mask various airplanes for paint process.
  • Conduct QA and QC in accordance to QP-1 & QP-2 standards and requirements.
  • Apply tape, paper and stencils as well as remove them after paint has been apply.
  • Show more

Tile setter example responsibilities.

  • Work on several high-end tiling jobs with various patterns and mosaics using ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone.
  • Tile installation, design, layout, demo, remodel.
  • Mix thin set clean wet saws work with other contractors to complete job including GC.
  • Tile cut, grouting, wall bond and floating demolition housekeeper and everything Im aloud to learn
  • Blue print reading, tile setting, water proofing, sub-flooring installation, demo, and patching.
  • Utilize power screeds and trowels to place screeds, tamp, vibrate, smooth and finish concrete work.
  • Show more

Painter apprentice vs tile setter skills

Common painter apprentice skills
  • Work Ethic, 24%
  • Coats, 15%
  • Scaffolding, 12%
  • Exterior Surfaces, 11%
  • Direct Supervision, 11%
  • Caulking, 3%
Common tile setter skills
  • Floor Designs, 30%
  • Kitchen Floors, 12%
  • Demo, 6%
  • Power Grinders, 6%
  • Polishers, 6%
  • Install Tile, 5%

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