Wages vary with training, experience and location. Entry level wages may be lower. Pay varies by area of the country and union membership. Nonunion carpet installers are paid by the number of yards of carpet installed. In contrast, union carpet installers are usually paid by the hour.
Apprentices generally earn about half the wage of experienced carpet layers.
As they gain experience and skills, apprentices receive higher pay. Floor and carpet layers may lose work time because of downturns in construction activity. Thus, their overall earnings may be lower than these wages suggest. There were 1,050 people employed as carpet installers in Indiana in 1998. Another 190 people were employed as floor layers.