Skilled Wages

Cement mason salary in South Dakota

Median $22.67 an hour for 2,550 cement masons, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$22.67/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Dakota, May data
$47,160/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.61 – $30.4710th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,550Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Cement mason pay in South Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, South DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrSouth Dakota: 10th $17.61 · 25th $19.37 · median $22.67 · 75th $27.58 · 90th $30.47South Dakota$22.67$17.61$30.47United 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: South Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

South Dakota ranks 45th of 51 states for median cement mason pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.59). 2,550 cement masons work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.61 – $19.37$36,640 – $40,280roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$19.37 – $27.58$40,280 – $57,360the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$27.58 – $30.47$57,360 – $63,380the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Cement mason pay by metro in South Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrSioux City: $27.60Sioux City$27.60Rapid City: $23.22Rapid City$23.22Sioux Falls: $22.98Sioux Falls$22.98
Median hourly wage for cement masons by metro area in South Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Sioux City$20.47$27.60$31.91$30.9112022% above
Rapid City$17.56$23.22$26.03$30.434702% above
Sioux Falls$17.87$22.98$25.36$30.661,0201% above

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

Cement mason wages in South Dakota over time

South Dakota, 1999-2025South DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$27.41United States$22.67South Dakota
Median hourly wage for cement masons, South Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.96$23.11$13.68830
2000$11.30$21.13$13.50880
2001$11.83$21.51$14.251,000
2002$11.95$21.39$14.741,030
2003$11.63$20.35$14.801,200
2004$11.66$19.87$15.101,360
2005$11.92$19.65$15.401,340
2006$12.30$19.64$15.701,400
2007$13.05$20.26$16.271,540
2008$13.64$20.40$16.871,450
2009$13.68$20.53$17.041,270
2010$13.76$20.32$17.041,320
2011$13.86$19.84$17.111,270
2012$14.24$19.97$17.191,250
2013$14.20$19.62$17.371,370
2014$14.40$19.58$17.671,460
2015$14.73$20.01$18.141,800
2016$16.64$22.32$18.841,950
2017$17.56$23.06$19.542,080
2018$17.66$22.64$20.672,070
2019$17.28$21.76$21.541,840
2020$17.87$22.23$22.121,750
2021$18.13$21.54$22.761,570
2022$18.39$20.23$23.221,760
2023$19.50$20.60$24.382,190
2024$21.71$22.28$26.282,270
2025$22.67$22.67$27.412,550

In today's dollars, the median cement mason wage in South Dakota changed by +13.3% over the last ten years of data and by +4.2% since 2019.

Are there more cement mason jobs in South Dakota?

5.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 4.2× the US share, 1st of 51 states

BLS counted 2,550 cement masons in South Dakota in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 6%. 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 South Dakota

+9.8%Projected growth in South Dakota2024–2034, state agency
180Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
2,210Jobs in 20242,420 projected for 2034
+1.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

South Dakota's labor market agency projects the number of cement masons in the state to change by +9.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,210 to 2,420, with about 180 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +1.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 2,550 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for cement masons in South Dakota

On federally funded construction in South Dakota, contractors must pay cement masons at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 34 of the 66 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.09 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.52). 32 of the 66 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Aurora County at $32.52). The market median for the state is $22.67.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, SDAurora: $32.52 (survey)Beadle: $48.09 (union)Bennett: $32.52 (survey)Bon Homme: $32.52 (survey)Brookings: $48.09 (union)Brown: $48.09 (union)Brule: $32.52 (survey)Buffalo: $48.09 (union)Butte: $48.09 (union)Campbell: $48.09 (union)Charles Mix: $32.52 (survey)Clark: $48.09 (union)Clay: $32.52 (survey)Codington: $48.09 (union)Corson: $48.09 (union)Custer: $19.58 (survey)Davison: $32.52 (survey)Day: $48.09 (union)Deuel: $48.09 (union)Dewey: $48.09 (union)Douglas: $32.52 (survey)Edmunds: $48.09 (union)Fall River: $32.52 (survey)Faulk: $48.09 (union)Grant: $48.09 (union)Gregory: $32.52 (survey)Haakon: $48.09 (union)Hamlin: $48.09 (union)Hand: $48.09 (union)Hanson: $32.52 (survey)Harding: $48.09 (union)Hughes: $48.09 (union)Hutchinson: $32.52 (survey)Hyde: $48.09 (union)Jackson: $32.52 (survey)Jerauld: $48.09 (union)Jones: $32.52 (survey)Kingsbury: $48.09 (union)Lake: $32.52 (survey)Lawrence: $48.09 (union)Lincoln: $20.19 (survey)Lyman: $32.52 (survey)McCook: $20.19 (survey)McPherson: $48.09 (union)Marshall: $48.09 (union)Meade: $19.58 (survey)Mellette: $32.52 (survey)Miner: $32.52 (survey)Minnehaha: $20.19 (survey)Moody: $32.52 (survey)Oglala Lakota: $32.52 (survey)Pennington: $19.58 (survey)Perkins: $48.09 (union)Potter: $48.09 (union)Roberts: $48.09 (union)Sanborn: $32.52 (survey)Spink: $48.09 (union)Stanley: $48.09 (union)Sully: $48.09 (union)Todd: $32.52 (survey)Tripp: $32.52 (survey)Turner: $20.19 (survey)Union: $20.19 (survey)Walworth: $48.09 (union)Yankton: $32.52 (survey)Ziebach: $48.09 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$32.52survey 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 (survey)$17.50$20$22.50$25$27.50$30/hrLincoln (Sioux Falls): market median $22.98, prevailing (survey) $20.19, gap −$2.79Lincoln (Sioux Falls)−$2.79Custer (Rapid City): market median $23.22, prevailing (survey) $19.58, gap −$3.64Custer (Rapid City)−$3.64Union (Sioux City): market median $27.60, prevailing (survey) $20.19, gap −$7.41Union (Sioux City)−$7.41
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for cement masons, metro counties in South Dakota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BeadleUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
BrookingsUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260005
BrownUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260006
BuffaloUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260007
ButteUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260008
CampbellUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260009
ClarkUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
CodingtonUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260011
CorsonUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260024
DayUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
DeuelUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
DeweyUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260012
EdmundsUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
FaulkUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021
GrantUnion PLAS0538-001 2024-10-01$33.01$15.08$48.09SD20260021

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

Is construction work growing in South Dakota?

32.1kConstruction jobsSouth Dakota, 2026-09
+3.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k1990199520002005201020152020202532kSep 2026
Construction employment in South Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Cement mason pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Dakota

More on South Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do cement masons make in South Dakota?

The median cement mason in South Dakota earned $22.67 an hour ($47,160 a year) in May 2025, 17% below the national median of $27.41. The middle half earn $19.37–$27.58; the top 10% earn more than $30.47.

Where does South Dakota rank for cement mason pay?

South Dakota ranks 45th of 51 states for cement mason pay, with a median of $22.67 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for South Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.6, US = 100).

What is the union cement mason rate in South Dakota?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for cement masons in 34 counties, with a typical package of $48.09 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many cement masons work in South Dakota?

BLS counted 2,550 cement masons in South Dakota in May 2025, 5.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 4.21; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is cement mason work growing in South Dakota?

South Dakota's labor market agency projects +9.8% growth for cement masons between 2024 and 2034, from 2,210 to 2,420 jobs.

How many cement mason openings a year are there in South Dakota?

South Dakota projects about 180 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, South Dakota 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: South Dakota labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.