Skilled Wages

Cement mason salary in Iowa

Median $27.99 an hour for 2,110 cement masons, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$27.99/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$58,220/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.67 – $35.6710th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,110Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Cement mason pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrIowa: 10th $19.67 · 25th $22.74 · median $27.99 · 75th $31.25 · 90th $35.67Iowa$27.99$19.67$35.67United 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: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 26th of 51 states for median cement mason pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.88). 2,110 cement masons work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.67 – $22.74$40,910 – $47,310roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.74 – $31.25$47,310 – $65,000the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$31.25 – $35.67$65,000 – $74,180the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Cement mason pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrDavenport: $29.17Davenport$29.17Des Moines: $28.70Des Moines$28.70Waterloo: $28.30Waterloo$28.30Dubuque: $28.08Dubuque$28.08Ames: $27.99Ames$27.99Cedar Rapids: $27.96Cedar Rapids$27.96Iowa City: $27.95Iowa City$27.95Sioux City: $27.60Sioux City$27.60Omaha: $24.16Omaha$24.16
Median hourly wage for cement masons by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Davenport$21.58$29.17$32.74$38.082204% above
Des Moines$21.82$28.70$31.30$36.905303% above
Waterloo$23.11$28.30$32.49$35.36601% above
Dubuque$21.70$28.08$32.16$35.00110about the same as
Ames$18.21$27.99$31.52$35.6560about the same as
Cedar Rapids$21.07$27.96$31.42$35.67130about the same as
Iowa City$21.39$27.95$30.55$35.9080about the same as
Sioux City$20.47$27.60$31.91$30.911201% below
Omaha$21.50$24.16$26.29$30.811,39014% below

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

Cement mason wages in Iowa over time

Iowa, 1999-2025IowaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$27.99Iowa$27.41United States
Median hourly wage for cement masons, Iowa vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIowa $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.39$22.01$13.682,630
2000$12.02$22.47$13.502,610
2001$12.24$22.25$14.252,960
2002$12.29$21.99$14.743,070
2003$12.77$22.34$14.803,250
2004$13.61$23.20$15.103,730
2005$14.61$24.08$15.403,150
2006$14.13$22.56$15.704,090
2007$14.35$22.28$16.274,520
2008$14.83$22.18$16.874,340
2009$15.23$22.85$17.043,860
2010$15.59$23.02$17.043,230
2011$16.06$22.99$17.113,250
2012$17.11$23.99$17.193,050
2013$16.66$23.02$17.372,760
2014$17.00$23.12$17.672,790
2015$17.05$23.16$18.143,450
2016$18.02$24.17$18.843,380
2017$18.22$23.93$19.543,320
2018$19.16$24.56$20.673,060
2019$20.08$25.29$21.544,170
2020$20.79$25.86$22.124,270
2021$22.17$26.34$22.763,430
2022$22.74$25.02$23.223,330
2023$24.14$25.51$24.382,990
2024$26.27$26.96$26.282,860
2025$27.99$27.99$27.412,110

In today's dollars, the median cement mason wage in Iowa changed by +20.9% over the last ten years of data and by +10.7% since 2019.

Are there more cement mason jobs in Iowa?

1.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.0× the US share, 22nd of 51 states

BLS counted 2,110 cement masons in Iowa in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 9%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for cement masons in Iowa

+3.7%Projected growth in Iowa2024–2034, state agency
190Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,630Jobs in 20242,720 projected for 2034
+1.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Iowa's labor market agency projects the number of cement masons in the state to change by +3.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,630 to 2,720, with about 190 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,110 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for cement masons in Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay cement masons at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 33 of the 97 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $58.38 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $18.72). 64 of the 97 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Allamakee County at $18.72). The market median for the state is $27.99.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: $58.38 (union)Adams: $58.38 (union)Allamakee: $18.72 (survey)Appanoose: $32.19 (survey)Audubon: $58.38 (union)Benton: $24.13 (survey)Black Hawk: $24.90 (survey)Boone: $58.38 (union)Bremer: $24.90 (survey)Buchanan: $18.72 (survey)Buena Vista: $13.00 (survey)Butler: $18.72 (survey)Calhoun: $13.00 (survey)Carroll: $58.38 (union)Cass: $58.38 (union)Cedar: $32.19 (survey)Cerro Gordo: $18.72 (survey)Cherokee: $13.00 (survey)Chickasaw: $18.72 (survey)Clarke: $58.38 (union)Clay: $13.00 (survey)Clayton: $18.72 (survey)Clinton: $60.74 (union)Crawford: $58.38 (union)Dallas: $58.38 (union)Davis: $32.19 (survey)Decatur: $58.38 (union)Delaware: $18.72 (survey)Des Moines: $32.19 (survey)Dickinson: $13.00 (survey)Dubuque: $24.13 (survey)Emmet: $13.00 (survey)Fayette: $18.72 (survey)Floyd: $18.72 (survey)Franklin: $18.72 (survey)Fremont: $58.38 (union)Greene: $58.38 (union)Grundy: $24.90 (survey)Guthrie: n/aHamilton: $13.00 (survey)Hancock: $13.00 (survey)Hardin: $18.72 (survey)Harrison: $60.74 (union)Henry: $32.19 (survey)Howard: $18.72 (survey)Humboldt: $13.00 (survey)Ida: $13.00 (survey)Iowa: $32.19 (survey)Jackson: $32.19 (survey)Jasper: $32.19 (survey)Jefferson: $32.19 (survey)Johnson: $60.74 (union)Jones: $24.13 (survey)Keokuk: $32.19 (survey)Kossuth: $13.00 (survey)Lee: $58.38 (union)Linn: $24.13 (survey)Louisa: $32.19 (survey)Lucas: $58.38 (union)Lyon: $13.00 (survey)Madison: n/aMahaska: $32.19 (survey)Marion: $32.19 (survey)Marshall: $32.19 (survey)Mills: $60.74 (union)Mitchell: $18.72 (survey)Monona: $58.38 (union)Monroe: $32.19 (survey)Montgomery: $58.38 (union)Muscatine: $32.19 (survey)O'Brien: $13.00 (survey)Osceola: $13.00 (survey)Page: $58.38 (union)Palo Alto: $13.00 (survey)Plymouth: $13.00 (survey)Pocahontas: $13.00 (survey)Polk: $58.38 (union)Pottawattamie: $60.74 (union)Poweshiek: $32.19 (survey)Ringgold: $58.38 (union)Sac: $13.00 (survey)Scott: $62.64 (union)Shelby: $58.38 (union)Sioux: $13.00 (survey)Story: $58.38 (union)Tama: $32.19 (survey)Taylor: $58.38 (union)Union: $58.38 (union)Van Buren: $32.19 (survey)Wapello: $32.19 (survey)Warren: $58.38 (union)Washington: $60.74 (union)Wayne: $58.38 (union)Webster: $13.00 (survey)Winnebago: $13.00 (survey)Winneshiek: $18.72 (survey)Woodbury: $60.74 (union)Worth: $18.72 (survey)Wright: $13.00 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$24.13$32.19$58.38n/asurvey 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)Prevailing (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrHarrison (Omaha): market median $24.16, prevailing (union) $60.74, gap +$36.58Harrison (Omaha)+$36.58Scott (Davenport): market median $29.17, prevailing (union) $62.64, gap +$33.47Scott (Davenport)+$33.47Woodbury (Sioux City): market median $27.60, prevailing (union) $60.74, gap +$33.14Woodbury (Sioux City)+$33.14Johnson (Iowa City): market median $27.95, prevailing (union) $60.74, gap +$32.79Johnson (Iowa City)+$32.79Boone (Ames): market median $27.99, prevailing (union) $58.38, gap +$30.39Boone (Ames)+$30.39Dallas (Des Moines): market median $28.70, prevailing (union) $58.38, gap +$29.68Dallas (Des Moines)+$29.68Black Hawk (Waterloo): market median $28.30, prevailing (survey) $24.90, gap −$3.40Black Hawk (Waterloo)−$3.40Benton (Cedar Rapids): market median $27.96, prevailing (survey) $24.13, gap −$3.83Benton (Cedar Rapids)−$3.83Dubuque (Dubuque): market median $28.08, prevailing (survey) $24.13, gap −$3.95Dubuque (Dubuque)−$3.95
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for cement masons, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ScottUnion PLAS0018-015 2026-05-01$33.21$29.43$62.64IA20260073
ClintonUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260038
HarrisonUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260067
JohnsonUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260068
MillsUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260070
PottawattamieUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260072
WashingtonUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260076
WoodburyUnion PLAS0018-015 2025-05-01$32.29$28.45$60.74IA20260077
AdairUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260029
AdamsUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260030
AudubonUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260033
BooneUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260034
CarrollUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260035
CassUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260058
ClarkeUnion PLAS0021-001 2025-05-01$34.55$23.83$58.38IA20260058

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

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

92.4kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-09
+4.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202592kSep 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Cement mason pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

More on Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do cement masons make in Iowa?

The median cement mason in Iowa earned $27.99 an hour ($58,220 a year) in May 2025, 2% above the national median of $27.41. The middle half earn $22.74–$31.25; the top 10% earn more than $35.67.

Where does Iowa rank for cement mason pay?

Iowa ranks 26th of 51 states for cement mason pay, with a median of $27.99 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union cement mason rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for cement masons in 33 counties, with a typical package of $58.38 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many cement masons work in Iowa?

BLS counted 2,110 cement masons in Iowa in May 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.02; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is cement mason work growing in Iowa?

Iowa's labor market agency projects +3.7% growth for cement masons between 2024 and 2034, from 2,630 to 2,720 jobs.

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

Iowa projects about 190 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, Iowa 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: Iowa labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.