Cement mason salary: what cement masons actually make
BLS employer-survey wages for 206,170 cement masons and concrete finishers nationwide, plus the union scale contractors must pay on federal jobs.
What cement masons and concrete finishers earn: the full range
The middle half of cement masons and concrete finishers earn between $22.60 and $32.15 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $41.10 ($85,480 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $18.84.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $18.84 – $22.60 | $39,190 – $47,010 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $22.60 – $32.15 | $47,010 – $66,870 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $32.15 – $41.10 | $66,870 – $85,480 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification. Union journeyman scale by county is in the prevailing-wage section below.
Cement mason pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46.10 | 68% above |
| Alaska | $44.69 | 63% above |
| Illinois | $37.58 | 37% above |
| Washington | $37.27 | 36% above |
| Oregon | $32.95 | 20% above |
| Minnesota | $32.13 | 17% above |
| Wisconsin | $30.89 | 13% above |
| New York | $30.79 | 12% above |
| Massachusetts | $30.69 | 12% above |
| Ohio | $30.28 | 10% above |
| Rhode Island | $30.26 | 10% above |
| California | $30.15 | 10% above |
| District of Columbia | $29.65 | 8% above |
| Montana | $29.63 | 8% above |
| Pennsylvania | $29.62 | 8% above |
| New Jersey | $29.52 | 8% above |
| Missouri | $29.51 | 8% above |
| Indiana | $29.46 | 7% above |
| Nevada | $29.44 | 7% above |
| Vermont | $29.40 | 7% above |
| Colorado | $29.18 | 6% above |
| Michigan | $28.78 | 5% above |
| Arizona | $28.32 | 3% above |
| Connecticut | $28.19 | 3% above |
| Wyoming | $28.10 | 3% above |
| Iowa | $27.99 | 2% above |
| North Dakota | $27.74 | 1% above |
| Delaware | $27.42 | about the same as |
| Utah | $27.13 | 1% below |
| Idaho | $27.12 | 1% below |
| Maine | $26.77 | 2% below |
| New Hampshire | $26.06 | 5% below |
| Kansas | $25.06 | 9% below |
| Maryland | $24.98 | 9% below |
| West Virginia | $24.98 | 9% below |
| Virginia | $24.49 | 11% below |
| Kentucky | $24.14 | 12% below |
| Nebraska | $23.80 | 13% below |
| South Carolina | $23.73 | 13% below |
| New Mexico | $23.67 | 14% below |
| Louisiana | $23.64 | 14% below |
| Florida | $23.40 | 15% below |
| Tennessee | $23.04 | 16% below |
| Texas | $22.84 | 17% below |
| South Dakota | $22.67 | 17% below |
| North Carolina | $22.49 | 18% below |
| Arkansas | $22.23 | 19% below |
| Georgia | $22.23 | 19% below |
| Oklahoma | $22.00 | 20% below |
| Alabama | $21.50 | 22% below |
| Mississippi | $21.14 | 23% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46.10 | $41.91 | #2 | 650 |
| Alaska | $44.69 | $43.64 | #1 | 240 |
| Illinois | $37.58 | $37.58 | #3 | 5,890 |
| Washington | $37.27 | $34.83 | #4 | 4,440 |
| Oregon | $32.95 | $31.87 | #10 | 2,170 |
| Minnesota | $32.13 | $32.59 | #7 | 3,070 |
| Wisconsin | $30.89 | $32.83 | #5 | 4,490 |
| New York | $30.79 | $28.54 | #21 | 9,060 |
| Massachusetts | $30.69 | $29.01 | #20 | 1,590 |
| Ohio | $30.28 | $32.63 | #6 | 6,060 |
| Rhode Island | $30.26 | $29.58 | #18 | 250 |
| California | $30.15 | $27.24 | #30 | 28,700 |
| District of Columbia | $29.65 | $26.98 | #33 | 320 |
| Montana | $29.63 | $31.32 | #12 | 780 |
| Pennsylvania | $29.62 | $30.35 | #14 | 5,180 |
| New Jersey | $29.52 | $27.13 | #32 | 2,390 |
| Missouri | $29.51 | $32.50 | #8 | 6,220 |
| Indiana | $29.46 | $31.58 | #11 | 4,390 |
| Nevada | $29.44 | $29.44 | #19 | 3,290 |
| Vermont | $29.40 | $30.00 | #16 | 270 |
| Colorado | $29.18 | $28.30 | #23 | 5,140 |
| Michigan | $28.78 | $29.92 | #17 | 6,350 |
| Arizona | $28.32 | $28.12 | #24 | 7,520 |
| Connecticut | $28.19 | $27.21 | #31 | 610 |
| Wyoming | $28.10 | $30.31 | #15 | 620 |
| Iowa | $27.99 | $31.88 | #9 | 2,110 |
| North Dakota | $27.74 | $31.17 | #13 | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $27.42 | $27.47 | #28 | 400 |
| Utah | $27.13 | $27.43 | #29 | 5,340 |
| Idaho | $27.12 | $28.40 | #22 | 2,540 |
| Maine | $26.77 | $27.60 | #27 | 730 |
| New Hampshire | $26.06 | $25.01 | #43 | 300 |
| Kansas | $25.06 | $27.81 | #26 | 3,610 |
| Maryland | $24.98 | $23.79 | #48 | 2,540 |
| West Virginia | $24.98 | $27.91 | #25 | 760 |
| Virginia | $24.49 | $24.22 | #45 | 4,020 |
| Kentucky | $24.14 | $26.76 | #35 | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $23.80 | $26.42 | #36 | 3,200 |
| South Carolina | $23.73 | $25.33 | #40 | 1,930 |
| New Mexico | $23.67 | $25.67 | #37 | 1,540 |
| Louisiana | $23.64 | $26.80 | #34 | 910 |
| Florida | $23.40 | $22.63 | #51 | 15,240 |
| Tennessee | $23.04 | $25.07 | #41 | 3,920 |
| Texas | $22.84 | $23.52 | #49 | 26,430 |
| South Dakota | $22.67 | $25.59 | #38 | 2,550 |
| North Carolina | $22.49 | $23.85 | #47 | 4,610 |
| Arkansas | $22.23 | $25.58 | #39 | 1,900 |
| Georgia | $22.23 | $23.08 | #50 | 3,400 |
| Oklahoma | $22.00 | $25.06 | #42 | 2,980 |
| Alabama | $21.50 | $24.21 | #46 | 2,110 |
| Mississippi | $21.14 | $24.30 | #44 | 930 |
Cement mason wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $13.68 | $26.44 | 151,760 |
| 2000 | $13.50 | $25.24 | 169,550 |
| 2001 | $14.25 | $25.90 | 176,590 |
| 2002 | $14.74 | $26.38 | 177,930 |
| 2003 | $14.80 | $25.90 | 180,540 |
| 2004 | $15.10 | $25.73 | 191,690 |
| 2005 | $15.40 | $25.39 | 204,720 |
| 2006 | $15.70 | $25.07 | 218,170 |
| 2007 | $16.27 | $25.26 | 213,850 |
| 2008 | $16.87 | $25.23 | 201,730 |
| 2009 | $17.04 | $25.57 | 165,700 |
| 2010 | $17.04 | $25.16 | 140,950 |
| 2011 | $17.11 | $24.49 | 135,330 |
| 2012 | $17.19 | $24.10 | 135,200 |
| 2013 | $17.37 | $24.01 | 141,910 |
| 2014 | $17.67 | $24.03 | 152,570 |
| 2015 | $18.14 | $24.64 | 163,360 |
| 2016 | $18.84 | $25.27 | 173,920 |
| 2017 | $19.54 | $25.66 | 178,640 |
| 2018 | $20.67 | $26.50 | 186,400 |
| 2019 | $21.54 | $27.12 | 196,120 |
| 2020 | $22.12 | $27.52 | 195,580 |
| 2021 | $22.76 | $27.04 | 186,600 |
| 2022 | $23.22 | $25.54 | 196,730 |
| 2023 | $24.38 | $25.76 | 203,560 |
| 2024 | $26.28 | $26.97 | 205,230 |
| 2025 | $27.41 | $27.41 | 206,170 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median cement mason wage changed by +11.2% over the last ten years.
Highest-paying metros for cement masons
| Metro | Median $/hr | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $46.28 | $52.35 | 500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $38.95 | $52.35 | 3,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $38.88 | $63.77 | 2,140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $36.53 | $58.03 | 2,420 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $36.31 | $57.19 | 1,500 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $36.10 | $47.80 | 1,410 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $35.93 | $46.61 | 930 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $34.98 | $48.65 | 1,880 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $31.98 | $49.41 | 2,330 |
| Cleveland, OH | $31.77 | $41.30 | 900 |
| Madison, WI | $31.69 | $44.46 | 570 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $31.57 | $50.92 | 8,390 |
| Columbus, OH | $31.21 | $40.41 | 1,000 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $31.09 | $47.32 | 2,550 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $30.81 | $46.39 | 580 |
Union scale and prevailing wage for cement masons
Federal construction projects must pay the Davis-Bacon rate for each county. Where the rate comes from a union contract it is the local journeyman scale: base wage plus fringe (health, pension, training). Where it comes from a survey, it is often older and lower. This table summarises the Building-construction determination for cement masons in every state.
| State | Counties with a union rate | Typical union package (base + fringe, $/hr) | Typical survey rate | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 100% | $90.05 | — | 8/14 |
| New Jersey | 100% | $86.63 | — | 21/21 |
| Connecticut | 88% | $82.50 | $29.36 | 8/17 |
| Maine | 6% | $80.22 | $19.95 | 16/16 |
| Hawaii | 100% | $77.75 | — | 5/5 |
| Washington | 87% | $75.43 | $21.94 | 39/39 |
| Rhode Island | 100% | $73.85 | — | 5/5 |
| Alaska | 100% | $71.56 | — | 30/30 |
| Illinois | 100% | $69.60 | — | 101/102 |
| Delaware | 100% | $68.97 | — | 3/3 |
| Oregon | 92% | $66.44 | $48.25 | 36/36 |
| Wisconsin | 100% | $65.09 | — | 64/72 |
| New York | 70% | $63.68 | $49.95 | 47/62 |
| West Virginia | 100% | $61.43 | — | 37/55 |
| Kansas | 5% | $60.63 | $21.34 | 105/105 |
| Idaho | 11% | $59.53 | $25.31 | 44/44 |
| Iowa | 34% | $58.38 | $18.72 | 97/99 |
| California | 91% | $55.42 | $24.09 | 58/58 |
| Missouri | 51% | $53.88 | $26.36 | 115/115 |
| North Dakota | 98% | $53.73 | $21.97 | 53/53 |
| Pennsylvania | 57% | $53.66 | $36.47 | 67/67 |
| Ohio | 46% | $52.52 | $38.41 | 84/88 |
| Colorado | 78% | $49.88 | $27.09 | 64/64 |
| Kentucky | 30% | $49.65 | $30.97 | 120/120 |
| Indiana | 94% | $49.30 | $11.04 | 89/92 |
| South Dakota | 52% | $48.09 | $32.52 | 66/66 |
| District of Columbia | 100% | $44.73 | — | 1/1 |
| South Carolina | 9% | $38.75 | $14.77 | 23/46 |
| Louisiana | 31% | $38.44 | $18.80 | 35/64 |
| Michigan | 88% | $35.48 | $21.63 | 83/83 |
| Alabama | 0% | — | $17.62 | 67/67 |
| Arkansas | 0% | — | $19.14 | 75/75 |
| Arizona | 0% | — | $21.00 | 15/15 |
| Florida | 0% | — | $15.45 | 67/67 |
| Georgia | 0% | — | $12.89 | 159/159 |
| Maryland | 0% | — | $33.03 | 12/24 |
| Minnesota | 0% | — | $71.52 | 87/87 |
| Mississippi | 0% | — | $20.00 | 82/82 |
| Montana | 0% | — | $19.77 | 52/56 |
| North Carolina | 0% | — | $14.02 | 100/100 |
| Nebraska | 0% | — | $19.14 | 93/93 |
| New Hampshire | 0% | — | $30.69 | 10/10 |
| New Mexico | 0% | — | $21.44 | 33/33 |
| Nevada | 0% | — | $56.92 | 17/17 |
| Oklahoma | 0% | — | $16.10 | 77/77 |
| Tennessee | 0% | — | $19.00 | 95/95 |
| Texas | 0% | — | $13.27 | 254/254 |
| Utah | 0% | — | $21.11 | 29/29 |
| Virginia | 0% | — | $17.48 | 37/133 |
| Wyoming | 0% | — | $28.41 | 23/23 |
Source: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions, Building construction type. Not the official determination; see each state page for county detail and links to the official text.
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects cement masons and concrete finishers employment to change by +1.6% over 2025-35, with about 13,600 openings a year from growth and people leaving the occupation. Typical entry education: No formal educational credential.
Compare cement mason pay with other trades
See how cement mason pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do cement masons make?
The median cement mason earned $27.41 an hour, or $57,020 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 206,170 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $22.60 and $32.15 an hour.
How much do cement masons make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $18.84 at the 10th percentile to $41.10 at the 90th, with a median of $27.41. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice cement mason make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $18.84 to $22.60 an hour ($39,190 to $47,010 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays cement masons the most?
Hawaii had the highest median at $46.10 an hour in May 2025, followed by Alaska ($44.69) and Illinois ($37.58). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are cement mason wages going up?
In today's dollars the median cement mason wage changed by +11.2% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $18.14 to $27.41.
Is cement mason a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $57,020 a year, a 90th percentile of $85,480, projected growth of +1.6% and about 13,600 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2051 (Cement masons and concrete finishers). Wages exclude overtime and benefits.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, latest year.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national. Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.