Skilled Wages

Cement mason salary in California

Median $30.15 an hour for 28,700 cement masons, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.15/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$62,700/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.36 – $48.9510th to 90th percentilehourly range
28,700Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Cement mason pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.36 · 25th $24.73 · median $30.15 · 75th $40.42 · 90th $48.95California$30.15$22.36$48.95United States: 10th $18.84 · 25th $22.60 · median $27.41 · 75th $32.15 · 90th $41.10United States$27.41
Hourly wage percentiles for cement masons: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 12th of 51 states for median cement mason pay, and 30th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.24). 28,700 cement masons 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$22.36 – $24.73$46,510 – $51,450roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.73 – $40.42$51,450 – $84,070the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.42 – $48.95$84,070 – $101,810the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Cement mason pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrModesto: $36.78Modesto$36.78San Francisco: $36.53San Francisco$36.53San Jose: $36.31San Jose$36.31Napa: $35.58Napa$35.58Salinas: $32.71Salinas$32.71Yuba City: $32.47Yuba City$32.47San Diego: $31.98San Diego$31.98Oxnard: $30.81Oxnard$30.81Los Angeles: $30.67Los Angeles$30.67Santa Rosa: $29.80Santa Rosa$29.80Redding: $29.46Redding$29.46Vallejo: $29.42Vallejo$29.42
Median hourly wage for cement masons by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Modesto$22.34$36.78$35.33$51.2535022% above
San Francisco$25.64$36.53$31.60$58.032,42021% above
San Jose$24.04$36.31$32.89$57.191,50020% above
Napa$23.41$35.58$31.60$49.4825018% above
Salinas$23.23$32.71$30.01$74.722008% above
Yuba City$23.58$32.47$31.16$48.061208% above
San Diego$22.68$31.98$28.58$49.412,3306% above
Oxnard$22.24$30.81$27.88$46.395802% above
Los Angeles$22.19$30.67$27.00$47.807,8102% above
Santa Rosa$23.21$29.80$27.64$50.715701% below
Redding$23.35$29.46$29.26$46.982302% below
Vallejo$23.59$29.42$27.12$47.364202% below
San Luis Obispo$21.83$29.36$27.03$48.123303% below
Sacramento$22.49$28.96$27.14$47.732,5804% below
Santa Cruz$22.10$28.95$26.34$48.981104% below
Chico$22.59$28.71$28.37$48.131505% below
Riverside$21.90$28.63$26.91$47.024,7405% below
Santa Maria$22.41$28.58$26.27$47.104005% below
Bakersfield$21.53$28.21$27.96$46.396006% below
Fresno$21.09$27.70$27.10$46.009808% below
Visalia$20.70$27.53$27.59$44.822009% below
Stockton$21.23$27.40$26.07$44.736409% below
Merced$20.69$25.59$26.03$38.5833015% below
El Centro$23.14$25.37$26.65$44.486016% below

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

Cement mason wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.15California$27.41United States
Median hourly wage for cement masons, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.49$33.80$13.6821,190
2000$15.21$28.44$13.5028,570
2001$16.48$29.96$14.2528,010
2002$18.59$33.27$14.7424,270
2003$18.68$32.68$14.8024,580
2004$18.36$31.29$15.1026,770
2005$18.93$31.21$15.4029,710
2006$19.49$31.12$15.7029,830
2007$21.17$32.87$16.2727,560
2008$23.10$34.54$16.8723,950
2009$23.87$35.82$17.0418,970
2010$23.10$34.11$17.0414,930
2011$22.40$32.06$17.1113,680
2012$22.39$31.40$17.1913,730
2013$23.52$32.50$17.3715,210
2014$22.39$30.45$17.6718,500
2015$22.88$31.08$18.1419,680
2016$23.41$31.40$18.8420,310
2017$23.78$31.23$19.5420,980
2018$25.82$33.10$20.6724,370
2019$26.54$33.42$21.5428,170
2020$27.44$34.13$22.1229,520
2021$27.87$33.11$22.7623,670
2022$28.53$31.39$23.2225,330
2023$29.89$31.58$24.3828,890
2024$30.90$31.71$26.2829,030
2025$30.15$30.15$27.4128,700

In today's dollars, the median cement mason wage in California changed by -3.0% over the last ten years of data and by -9.8% since 2019.

Are there more cement mason jobs in California?

+1.9%Jobs since 201928,170 then, 28,700 in 2025
+45.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.2× the US share, 15th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of cement masons counted in California has changed by +35.4%, against +35.9% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +1.9%.

Cement masons and concrete finishers in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages5075100125150175200020052010201520202025136United States135California
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
199921,190100100
200028,570135112
200128,010132116
200224,270114117
200324,580116119
200426,770126126
200529,710140135
200629,830141144
200727,560130141
200823,950113133
200918,97090109
201014,9307093
201113,6806589
201213,7306589
201315,2107294
201418,50087100
201519,68093108
201620,31096115
201720,98099118
201824,370115123
201928,170133129
202029,520139129
202123,670112123
202225,330120130
202328,890136134
202429,030137135
202528,700135136

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 cement masons in California

+3.1%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
2,070Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
29,200Jobs in 202430,100 projected for 2034
+1.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of cement masons in the state to change by +3.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 29,200 to 30,100, with about 2,070 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 28,700 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 cement masons in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay cement masons at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $55.42 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.09). 5 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $23.09). The market median for the state is $30.15.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $55.42 (union)Alpine: $55.42 (union)Amador: $23.09 (survey)Butte: $55.42 (union)Calaveras: $55.42 (union)Colusa: $55.42 (union)Contra Costa: $55.42 (union)Del Norte: $24.09 (survey)El Dorado: $55.42 (union)Fresno: $55.42 (union)Glenn: $55.42 (union)Humboldt: $24.09 (survey)Imperial: $74.77 (union)Inyo: $74.77 (union)Kern: $74.77 (union)Kings: $55.42 (union)Lake: $24.09 (survey)Lassen: $55.42 (union)Los Angeles: $74.77 (union)Madera: $55.42 (union)Marin: $55.42 (union)Mariposa: $55.42 (union)Mendocino: $24.09 (survey)Merced: $55.42 (union)Modoc: $55.42 (union)Mono: $74.77 (union)Monterey: $55.42 (union)Napa: $55.42 (union)Nevada: $55.42 (union)Orange: $74.77 (union)Placer: $55.42 (union)Plumas: $55.42 (union)Riverside: $74.77 (union)Sacramento: $55.42 (union)San Benito: $55.42 (union)San Bernardino: $74.77 (union)San Diego: $51.19 (union)San Francisco: $55.42 (union)San Joaquin: $55.42 (union)San Luis Obispo: $74.77 (union)San Mateo: $55.42 (union)Santa Barbara: $74.77 (union)Santa Clara: $55.42 (union)Santa Cruz: $55.42 (union)Shasta: $55.42 (union)Sierra: $55.42 (union)Siskiyou: $55.42 (union)Solano: $55.42 (union)Sonoma: $55.42 (union)Stanislaus: $55.42 (union)Sutter: $55.42 (union)Tehama: $55.42 (union)Trinity: $55.42 (union)Tulare: $55.42 (union)Tuolumne: $55.42 (union)Ventura: $74.77 (union)Yolo: $55.42 (union)Yuba: $55.42 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$55.42survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for cement masons 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/hrImperial (El Centro): market median $25.37, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$49.40Imperial (El Centro)+$49.40Kern (Bakersfield): market median $28.21, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$46.56Kern (Bakersfield)+$46.56Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $28.58, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$46.19Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$46.19Riverside (Riverside): market median $28.63, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$46.14Riverside (Riverside)+$46.14San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $29.36, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$45.41San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$45.41Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $30.67, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$44.10Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$44.10Ventura (Oxnard): market median $30.81, prevailing (union) $74.77, gap +$43.96Ventura (Oxnard)+$43.96Merced (Merced): market median $25.59, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$29.83Merced (Merced)+$29.83San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $27.40, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$28.02San Joaquin (Stockton)+$28.02Fresno (Fresno): market median $27.70, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$27.72Fresno (Fresno)+$27.72Butte (Chico): market median $28.71, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$26.71Butte (Chico)+$26.71Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $28.95, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$26.47Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$26.47El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $28.96, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$26.46El Dorado (Sacramento)+$26.46Solano (Vallejo): market median $29.42, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$26.00Solano (Vallejo)+$26.00Shasta (Redding): market median $29.46, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$25.96Shasta (Redding)+$25.96Kings (California): market median $30.15, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$25.27Kings (California)+$25.27Monterey (Salinas): market median $32.71, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$22.71Monterey (Salinas)+$22.71Napa (Napa): market median $35.58, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$19.84Napa (Napa)+$19.84San Benito (San Jose): market median $36.31, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$19.11San Benito (San Jose)+$19.11Alameda (San Francisco): market median $36.53, prevailing (union) $55.42, gap +$18.89Alameda (San Francisco)+$18.89
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for cement masons, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ImperialUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260002
InyoUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260020
KernUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260020
Los AngelesUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260022
MonoUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260020
OrangeUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260024
RiversideUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260025
San BernardinoUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260026
San Luis ObispoUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260012
Santa BarbaraUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260014
VenturaUnion PLAS0500-002 2025-07-01$47.70$27.07$74.77CA20260015
AlamedaUnion PLAS0300-005 2016-07-01$32.15$23.27$55.42CA20260018
AlpineUnion PLAS0300-005 2016-07-01$32.15$23.27$55.42CA20260007
ButteUnion PLAS0300-005 2016-07-01$32.15$23.27$55.42CA20260007
CalaverasUnion PLAS0300-005 2016-07-01$32.15$23.27$55.42CA20260018

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

Cement mason pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do cement masons make in California?

The median cement mason in California earned $30.15 an hour ($62,700 a year) in May 2025, 10% above the national median of $27.41. The middle half earn $24.73–$40.42; the top 10% earn more than $48.95.

Where does California rank for cement mason pay?

California ranks 12th of 51 states for cement mason pay, with a median of $30.15 an hour, and 30th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union cement mason rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for cement masons in 53 counties, with a typical package of $55.42 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many cement masons work in California?

BLS counted 28,700 cement masons in California in May 2025, 1.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.19; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is cement mason work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of cement masons in California went from 19,680 in 2015 to 28,700 in 2025, +45.8%, and +1.9% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +3.1% growth for cement masons between 2024 and 2034, from 29,200 to 30,100 jobs.

How many cement mason openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 2,070 openings a year for cement masons over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 13,600 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2051. 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.