How much do masonry laborers make in 2026?
Masonry labourers are counted in the BLS helpers of brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons and tile and marble setters series: OEWS May 2025 gives the SOC 47-3011 national median as $47,550 a year ($22.86 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $36,230 and the top 10% at $70,080. Two facts should be stated plainly. First, this is a small classification of about 14,170 workers, because most masonry crews carry few tenders relative to masons. Second, BLS projects employment 10.5% lower by 2034 — one of the steeper declines in construction — reflecting the long-term substitution of masonry by panel and cladding systems and the mechanisation of material handling. That said, the classification is best understood not as a career but as the recognised entry route to masonry itself: tenders mix mud, stock scaffold, cut block and keep the mason supplied, and the ones who learn to lay while doing it become journeyman masons on a materially higher wage series. Restoration and historic masonry, which cannot be substituted by panels, is the most durable end of this market. Employment is projected to change by -10.5% through 2034 with roughly 1,400 openings a year. → Full masonry laborer career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $47,550 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Masonry Laborers earn a national median $47,550/yr ($22.86/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-3011); the P10 to P90 range is $36,230 to $70,080.
- The BLS masonry helpers series shows a $47,550 median inside a $36,230 to $70,080 band, in a small classification of about 14,170 workers.
- BLS projects a 10.5% employment decline by 2034 — one of the steeper drops in construction — as panel and cladding systems substitute for masonry and material handling mechanises.
- The classification's real value is as the entry route to masonry: tenders who learn to lay move onto the journeyman mason wage series, and restoration work is the most durable end of the market.
US Masonry Laborer Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do masonry laborers earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 47-3011; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-3011, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a masonry laborer earn at each career stage?
Tender pay rises modestly with skill, and the meaningful step is out of the classification and into masonry. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 47-3011.
By State
Which states pay masonry laborers the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Masonry geography follows building tradition and climate: regions where brick and block remain standard for commercial and institutional work keep crews busy, while markets that have moved to panel systems offer mainly repair and residential veneer work.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($54,680), the highest-paying state shown. See all 51 state salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay masonry laborers the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Older metros with large masonry building stock offer the steadiest work, because repointing, facade repair and restoration are continuous obligations on buildings that cannot be reclad.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a masonry laborer’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does masonry laborer pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Masonry Laborers sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify masonry laborer wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a masonry laborer actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Masonry Laborer Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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