The research team at Steadfast Paving & Masonry compiled this report using wage data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, covering annual surveys from May 2019 through May 2024.
Data was aggregated across four BLS-defined masonry occupations: Brickmasons and Blockmasons (SOC 47-2021), Stonemasons (SOC 47-2022), Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051), and Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (SOC 47-2053). New York State and metropolitan-area benchmarks were sourced from BLS OEWS state-level estimates and the U.S. Department of Labor CareerOneStop platform.
All figures are reported in nominal U.S. dollars and represent non-farm payroll employees only; self-employed workers are excluded from OEWS estimates. The tables below present the core findings from this analysis.
How Much Do Masonry Workers Make? National Wage Benchmarks
The table below presents the full national wage distribution for masonry workers in the United States, drawn from BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The 10th and 90th percentile figures represent the all-masonry aggregate as reported in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, while the 25th and 75th percentile figures are sourced from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release for Brickmasons and Blockmasons (SOC 47-2021), the most comprehensively documented masonry specialty.
The National Masonry Worker Wage Distribution — 2024
| Percentile | Hourly Wage | Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $18.52 | $38,520 |
| 25th Percentile* | $23.77 | $49,430 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $27.21 | $56,600 |
| 75th Percentile* | $37.16 | $77,290 |
| 90th Percentile | $43.33 | $90,120+ |
*25th and 75th percentile data from BLS OEWS May 2024, Brickmasons and Blockmasons (SOC 47-2021).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024.
- The national median wage for masonry workers was reported at $56,600 in 2024, exceeding the median wage reported for all occupations ($49,500). This suggests masonry can offer earnings that compare favorably with many occupations that do not require a bachelor’s degree.
- The spread between the 10th and 90th percentile spans more than $51,600 annually, reflecting differences in compensation across specialties, geographies, and employer types within the trade.
- Workers at the 75th percentile earned approximately $77,290 annually, highlighting the substantial wage variation that exists within the masonry profession.
- At the 90th percentile, masonry workers earned more than $90,000 annually, illustrating the upper end of the occupation’s wage distribution.
Masonry Worker Pay by Specialty
BLS tracks four occupational subcategories within masonry, each carrying distinct wage levels and workforce sizes. The table below shows the 2024 median wage and national employment for each specialty.
The Masonry Worker Wage by Specialty — 2024
| Specialty | SOC Code | Median Annual Wage | Median Hourly Wage | National Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 47-2021 | $60,800 | $29.23 | 74,100 |
| Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | 47-2053 | $57,260 | $27.53 | 1,500 |
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | 47-2051 | $54,660 | $26.28 | 206,700 |
| Stonemasons | 47-2022 | $51,990 | $25.00 | 12,100 |
| All Masonry Workers (Combined) | — | $56,600 | $27.21 | 294,300 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024.
- Brickmasons and blockmasons reported the highest median wage among the masonry specialties included in this analysis, earning approximately $8,810 more annually than stonemasons.
- Cement masons account for the largest share of masonry employment nationally (206,700 of 294,300 workers), while their median wage remains below that reported for brickmasons and blockmasons.
- Stonemasons reported the lowest median wage among the masonry specialties examined, and BLS projections indicate modest employment declines for the occupation through 2034.
- Terrazzo workers represent only 1,500 jobs nationally — the smallest specialty by employment — and BLS projects an 11% employment decline for the occupation through 2034.
New York vs. the United States: Masonry Worker Wages
Recent BLS and CareerOneStop wage data place New York among the highest-paying states for several masonry occupations. Suffolk County falls within the New York–Newark–Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area for BLS wage reporting purposes, and the regional figures below reflect that market.
The New York vs. United States Masonry Wage Comparison — 2024
| Wage Metric | United States | New York State | NY Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | |||
| 10th Percentile — Annual | $38,290 | $47,140 | +23.1% |
| Median Annual Wage | $54,660 | $63,020 | +15.3% |
| Median Hourly Wage | $26.28 | $30.30 | +15.3% |
| 75th Percentile — Annual | $87,620 | $107,420 | +22.6% |
| 90th Percentile — Annual | $87,620 | $107,420 | +22.6% |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | |||
| Mean Annual Wage (2023)† | $63,430 | $83,910 | +32.3% |
| Mean Hourly Wage (2023)† | $30.50 | $40.34 | +32.3% |
| NYC Metro — Mean Annual (2023)† | — | $88,580 | +39.6% vs. national |
†2023 BLS OEWS state-level estimates; state-level percentile breakdowns for brickmasons were not separately published in 2024.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor CareerOneStop (2024); BLS OEWS May 2023 state-level estimates.
- New York cement masons earned a median wage above the national benchmark in 2024. Several factors may contribute to this regional difference, including labor market conditions, project mix, and prevailing wage regulations.
- Brickmasons in New York State recorded a mean annual wage of $83,910 in 2023 — 32.3% above the national mean of $63,430 — the largest state-level premium of any masonry specialty tracked in this report.
- The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area, which includes Suffolk County, reported wages substantially above national averages for brickmasons, with a mean annual figure of $88,580 in 2023.
- Even the lowest-earning 10% of New York cement masons ($47,140 annually) exceeded their national counterparts at the same percentile ($38,290) by 23.1%, indicating that the regional wage differential spans the full earnings distribution.
- The 75th percentile for New York cement masons reached $107,420 annually, compared to $87,620 nationally — a $19,800 difference at the upper wage tier.
Masonry Worker Wage Growth: 2019 to 2024
The table below tracks the national median annual wage for brickmasons and blockmasons (SOC 47-2021) across six consecutive BLS OEWS surveys. This specialty is used as the historical benchmark because it has the most complete and consistent published record across all survey years.
The Brickmason and Blockmason Median Wage Trend — 2019 to 2024
| Survey Year | Median Annual Wage | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| May 2019 | $53,100 | — |
| May 2020 | $55,080 | +3.7% |
| May 2021 | $59,340 | +7.7% |
| May 2022 | $59,000 | -0.6% |
| May 2023 | $59,640 | +1.1% |
| May 2024 | $60,800 | +1.9% |
| Cumulative Growth (2019–2024) | — | +14.5% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Historical Data Tables, SOC 47-2021, 2019–2024. All figures nominal.
- Brickmason wages grew 14.5% in nominal terms from 2019 to 2024; adjusted for inflation, this equates to approximately -0.9% in real purchasing power — meaning wages tracked but did not outpace overall price increases over the period.
- The 2021 increase represented the largest year-over-year wage gain in the dataset. The period coincided with broader labor market disruptions and changes in construction activity following the pandemic.
- May 2022 was the only year with a year-over-year decline (-0.6%); even after that movement, the median remained $5,900 above its 2019 baseline.
- Wage growth has been more modest in the years following 2022, based on currently available OEWS data.
- Labor shortages have been identified as an ongoing concern within the construction industry, with the Associated Builders and Contractors reporting a need for 439,000 additional workers in 2025. Future wage impacts will depend on local market conditions and workforce availability.
Requesting a Copy of This Report
If you’d like to request a PDF copy of this report or learn more about masonry and paving services in Holtsville and Suffolk County, you can reach the Steadfast Paving & Masonry team at steadfastpavingandmasonry.com.
Last updated: June 2026
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Masonry Workers: Occupational Outlook Handbook.” May 2024. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/brickmasons-blockmasons-and-stonemasons.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 47-2021 Brickmasons and Blockmasons.” April 2024. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes472021.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “OEWS Historical Data Tables: May 2019–May 2024.” https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employment Projections Program.” https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- U.S. Department of Labor. “CareerOneStop: Wages for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers — New York State.” Accessed June 2026. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Wages/find-salary.aspx?soccode=472051&keyword=Cement%20Masons%20and%20Concrete%20Finishers&location=New%20York
- Construction Coverage. “Construction Jobs With the Fastest-Growing Wages [2025 Edition].” 2025. https://constructioncoverage.com/research/construction-jobs-with-the-fastest-growing-wages
- Associated Builders and Contractors. “ABC: Construction Industry Must Attract 439,000 Workers in 2025.” January 24, 2025. https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/abc-construction-industry-must-attract-439000-workers-in-2025