Skilled Wages

Brickmason salary in California

Median $33.20 an hour for 3,820 brickmasons, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$33.20/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$69,050/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.77 – $52.0210th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,820Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Brickmason pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrCalifornia: 10th $23.77 · 25th $28.24 · median $33.20 · 75th $38.26 · 90th $52.02California$33.20$23.77$52.02United States: 10th $21.55 · 25th $24.57 · median $29.87 · 75th $38.15 · 90th $48.08United States$29.87
Hourly wage percentiles for brickmasons: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 17th of 50 states for median brickmason pay, and 31st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.99). 3,820 brickmasons work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.77 – $28.24$49,440 – $58,730roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.24 – $38.26$58,730 – $79,580the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$38.26 – $52.02$79,580 – $108,200the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Brickmason pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSan Francisco: $37.19San Francisco$37.19San Jose: $36.51San Jose$36.51Stockton: $36.29Stockton$36.29Santa Rosa: $35.77Santa Rosa$35.77Sacramento: $35.49Sacramento$35.49Fresno: $33.20Fresno$33.20Salinas: $31.46Salinas$31.46Oxnard: $30.77Oxnard$30.77Santa Maria: $30.58Santa Maria$30.58Los Angeles: $30.51Los Angeles$30.51Riverside: $30.45Riverside$30.45San Diego: $30.43San Diego$30.43
Median hourly wage for brickmasons by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
San Francisco$27.03$37.19$32.17$60.3234012% above
San Jose$24.17$36.51$33.07$61.8018010% above
Stockton$28.78$36.29$34.53$59.141509% above
Santa Rosa$27.50$35.77$33.18$46.67508% above
Sacramento$23.78$35.49$33.26$48.933407% above
Fresno$22.42$33.20$32.49$65.35170about the same as
Salinas$20.84$31.46$28.86$49.66405% below
Oxnard$20.42$30.77$27.85$44.87907% below
Santa Maria$23.20$30.58$28.11$36.30308% below
Los Angeles$23.77$30.51$26.86$49.841,2208% below
Riverside$21.79$30.45$28.62$48.525408% below
San Diego$23.32$30.43$27.19$48.952608% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Brickmason wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35$40200020052010201520202025$33.20California$29.87United States
Median hourly wage for brickmasons, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$20.64$39.89$19.365,000
2000$20.16$37.69$19.377,480
2001$19.59$35.61$20.005,980
2002$20.42$36.54$20.117,120
2003$20.83$36.45$19.986,670
2004$21.42$36.51$20.077,420
2005$21.68$35.74$20.139,330
2006$21.05$33.62$20.6610,350
2007$20.73$32.19$21.199,300
2008$23.30$34.84$21.947,440
2009$24.70$37.07$22.475,550
2010$27.11$40.03$22.564,140
2011$28.07$40.18$22.503,650
2012$28.58$40.08$22.333,130
2013$30.84$42.62$22.414,340
2014$28.48$38.73$22.914,420
2015$27.77$37.72$23.054,410
2016$28.23$37.87$23.684,550
2017$27.28$35.83$23.933,850
2018$27.45$35.19$24.493,340
2019$28.60$36.02$25.533,260
2020$31.75$39.49$26.483,170
2021$30.55$36.30$28.533,090
2022$33.75$37.13$28.373,000
2023$32.31$34.14$28.673,140
2024$31.93$32.77$29.233,480
2025$33.20$33.20$29.873,820

In today's dollars, the median brickmason wage in California changed by -12.0% over the last ten years of data and by -7.8% since 2019.

Are there more brickmason jobs in California?

+17.2%Jobs since 20193,260 then, 3,820 in 2025
-13.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 39th of 49 states

Since 1999, the number of brickmasons counted in California has changed by -23.6%, against -46.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +17.2%.

Brickmasons and blockmasons in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages05010015020025020002005201020152020202576California53United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
19995,000100100
20007,480150110
20015,980120112
20027,120142112
20036,670133110
20047,420148109
20059,330187118
200610,350207120
20079,300186118
20087,440149108
20095,55011189
20104,1408370
20113,6507364
20123,1306358
20134,3408760
20144,4208860
20154,4108862
20164,5509165
20173,8507766
20183,3406765
20193,2606562
20203,1706361
20213,0906257
20223,0006056
20233,1406358
20243,4807054
20253,8207653

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for brickmasons in California

+5.7%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
410Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
5,300Jobs in 20245,600 projected for 2034
+1.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of brickmasons in the state to change by +5.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 5,300 to 5,600, with about 410 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,820 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for brickmasons in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay brickmasons at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $82.00 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.05). 6 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $21.61). The market median for the state is $33.20.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $82.00 (union)Alpine: $85.52 (union)Amador: $21.61 (survey)Butte: $85.52 (union)Calaveras: $82.00 (union)Colusa: $85.52 (union)Contra Costa: $82.00 (union)Del Norte: $31.05 (survey)El Dorado: $85.52 (union)Fresno: $82.00 (union)Glenn: $85.52 (union)Humboldt: $31.05 (survey)Imperial: $77.95 (union)Inyo: $65.82 (union)Kern: $65.82 (union)Kings: $82.00 (union)Lake: $31.05 (survey)Lassen: $85.52 (union)Los Angeles: $65.82 (union)Madera: $82.00 (union)Marin: $85.52 (union)Mariposa: $82.00 (union)Mendocino: $31.05 (survey)Merced: $82.00 (union)Modoc: $85.52 (union)Mono: $65.82 (union)Monterey: $82.00 (union)Napa: $85.52 (union)Nevada: $85.52 (union)Orange: $65.82 (union)Placer: $85.52 (union)Plumas: $85.52 (union)Riverside: $65.82 (union)Sacramento: $85.52 (union)San Benito: $82.00 (union)San Bernardino: $65.82 (union)San Diego: $65.75 (union)San Francisco: $82.00 (union)San Joaquin: $82.00 (union)San Luis Obispo: $65.82 (union)San Mateo: $82.00 (union)Santa Barbara: $71.55 (union)Santa Clara: $82.00 (union)Santa Cruz: $82.00 (union)Shasta: $85.52 (union)Sierra: $85.52 (union)Siskiyou: $85.52 (union)Solano: $85.52 (union)Sonoma: $85.52 (union)Stanislaus: $82.00 (union)Sutter: $85.52 (union)Tehama: $85.52 (union)Trinity: $85.52 (union)Tulare: $15.18 (survey)Tuolumne: $82.00 (union)Ventura: $70.36 (union)Yolo: $85.52 (union)Yuba: $85.52 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$65.82$82.00$82.70survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for brickmasons by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$40$60$80$100/hrButte (California): market median $33.20, prevailing (union) $85.52, gap +$52.32Butte (California)+$52.32Monterey (Salinas): market median $31.46, prevailing (union) $82.00, gap +$50.54Monterey (Salinas)+$50.54El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $35.49, prevailing (union) $85.52, gap +$50.03El Dorado (Sacramento)+$50.03Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $35.77, prevailing (union) $85.52, gap +$49.75Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$49.75Fresno (Fresno): market median $33.20, prevailing (union) $82.00, gap +$48.80Fresno (Fresno)+$48.80Marin (San Francisco): market median $37.19, prevailing (union) $85.52, gap +$48.33Marin (San Francisco)+$48.33San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $36.29, prevailing (union) $82.00, gap +$45.71San Joaquin (Stockton)+$45.71San Benito (San Jose): market median $36.51, prevailing (union) $82.00, gap +$45.49San Benito (San Jose)+$45.49Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $30.58, prevailing (union) $71.55, gap +$40.97Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$40.97Ventura (Oxnard): market median $30.77, prevailing (union) $70.36, gap +$39.59Ventura (Oxnard)+$39.59Riverside (Riverside): market median $30.45, prevailing (union) $65.82, gap +$35.37Riverside (Riverside)+$35.37San Diego (San Diego): market median $30.43, prevailing (union) $65.75, gap +$35.32San Diego (San Diego)+$35.32Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $30.51, prevailing (union) $65.82, gap +$35.31Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$35.31
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for brickmasons, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlpineUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
ButteUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
ColusaUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
El DoradoUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
GlennUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
LassenUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
MarinUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
ModocUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
NapaUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
NevadaUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
PlacerUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
PlumasUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
SacramentoUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
ShastaUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007
SierraUnion BRCA0003-004 2024-05-01$57.02$28.50$85.52CA20260007

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Brickmason pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do brickmasons make in California?

The median brickmason in California earned $33.20 an hour ($69,050 a year) in May 2025, 11% above the national median of $29.87. The middle half earn $28.24–$38.26; the top 10% earn more than $52.02.

Where does California rank for brickmason pay?

California ranks 17th of 50 states for brickmason pay, with a median of $33.20 an hour, and 31st after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union brickmason rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for brickmasons in 52 counties, with a typical package of $82.00 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many brickmasons work in California?

BLS counted 3,820 brickmasons in California in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.62; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is brickmason work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of brickmasons in California went from 4,410 in 2015 to 3,820 in 2025, -13.4%, and +17.2% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +5.7% growth for brickmasons between 2024 and 2034, from 5,300 to 5,600 jobs.

How many brickmason openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 410 openings a year for brickmasons over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 4,100 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2021. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.