Masons: licensing, jobs and pay in the United States
53,520 people work as masons in the United States, and the median pay is $60,800 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 18,258 masonry contractor businesses with employees, with 139,844 employees and a payroll of $8,601,702,000 a year (2023 County Business Patterns).
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 53,520
- Median pay, a year
- $60,800
- Businesses with employees
- 18,258
Masons by state
| State | Jobs | Median pay, a year | Businesses with employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,440 | $51,020 | 883 | 0.7 |
| Florida | 3,640 | $49,980 | 1,405 | 1.4 |
| California | 3,480 | $66,420 | 1,300 | 0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,150 | $67,220 | 1,053 | 1.8 |
| Ohio | 2,890 | $64,030 | 684 | 1.3 |
| Illinois | 2,850 | $86,330 | 854 | 1.6 |
| Michigan | 2,340 | $62,970 | 562 | 1.2 |
| New York | 2,280 | $77,600 | 1,535 | 1.8 |
| Indiana | 2,070 | $72,050 | 380 | 1.3 |
| Missouri | 2,030 | $70,520 | 395 | 1.4 |
| Utah | 1,810 | $56,340 | 348 | 2.8 |
| North Carolina | 1,670 | $48,420 | 655 | 1.3 |
| Arizona | 1,620 | $59,400 | 341 | 1.1 |
| Virginia | 1,580 | $55,630 | 557 | 1.5 |
| Maryland | 1,420 | $58,420 | 344 | 1.3 |
| Massachusetts | 1,170 | $94,370 | 629 | 2.1 |
| Minnesota | 1,160 | $89,170 | 498 | 2.0 |
| Tennessee | 1,080 | $63,440 | 228 | 0.7 |
| Colorado | 1,030 | $63,480 | 422 | 1.6 |
| Nevada | 960 | $60,570 | 126 | 0.9 |
| New Jersey | 940 | $75,300 | 712 | 1.9 |
| Kentucky | 840 | $62,160 | 199 | 1.0 |
| Wisconsin | 790 | $78,700 | 399 | 1.4 |
| Washington | 750 | $92,910 | 347 | 1.0 |
| Oklahoma | 550 | $47,330 | 149 | 0.8 |
| Arkansas | 520 | $48,100 | 107 | 0.8 |
| Oregon | 520 | $74,870 | 242 | 1.3 |
| South Carolina | 450 | $43,680 | 203 | 0.8 |
| Iowa | 410 | $63,470 | 178 | 1.2 |
| Kansas | 400 | $54,770 | 191 | 1.5 |
| Alabama | 380 | $48,820 | 129 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | 370 | $78,030 | 289 | 1.9 |
| Idaho | 370 | $63,040 | 228 | 2.9 |
| Nebraska | 370 | $60,060 | 136 | 1.6 |
| District of Columbia | 330 | $64,100 | 7 | 0.2 |
| New Mexico | 280 | $47,280 | 85 | 0.9 |
| Louisiana | 270 | $47,370 | 97 | 0.5 |
| South Dakota | 270 | $61,260 | 63 | 1.5 |
| West Virginia | 260 | $46,810 | 75 | 0.9 |
| North Dakota | 240 | $60,260 | 43 | 1.1 |
| Delaware | 230 | $58,410 | 63 | 1.4 |
| Montana | 210 | $65,070 | 116 | 2.2 |
| Wyoming | 200 | $58,150 | 54 | 1.9 |
| Maine | 180 | $67,220 | 144 | 1.9 |
| Georgia | 160 | $60,270 | 372 | 0.8 |
| Mississippi | 150 | $49,300 | 52 | 0.4 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | $55,730 | 113 | 2.3 |
| Vermont | 130 | $60,290 | 88 | 2.6 |
| New Hampshire | 110 | $65,450 | 99 | 1.5 |
| Hawaii | 50 | $77,260 | 57 | 1.0 |
| Alaska | — | — | 22 | 0.7 |
The highest median pay is in Massachusetts ($94,370), Washington ($92,910), Minnesota ($89,170).
The lowest is in South Carolina ($43,680), West Virginia ($46,810), New Mexico ($47,280).
What masons earn
| United States | |
|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $60,800 |
| Median pay, an hour | $29.23 |
| 10th percentile | $41,330 |
| 25th percentile | $49,430 |
| 75th percentile | $77,290 |
| 90th percentile | $95,560 |
| Average pay, a year | $65,390 |
Federal rules and model codes for masons
Cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, masonry, stone or tile exposes workers to silica, and OSHA’s construction standard sets an exposure limit and requires dust controls, a written exposure control plan and, above set levels, respirators and medical exams (29 CFR 1926.1153).
A scaffold on a construction job must be designed, erected and inspected to OSHA’s scaffold standard, with fall protection above 10 feet (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L).
On a construction job, a worker 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or a personal fall arrest system, with the rules for roofs in OSHA’s fall protection standard (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M).
Structural, roofing and finish work on homes is inspected against a building code most states and cities adopt from the International Residential Code, with their own edition and amendments.
A model code becomes law only where a state or city adopts it; the building or licensing department says which edition applies.
- OSHA respirable crystalline silica in construction (29 CFR 1926.1153)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
- International Residential Code and International Building Code (ICC)
Licenses for masons
Licensing for this trade is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; each state’s page links the official license lookup for it.
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Questions about Masons
How much do masons make?
The median pay for masons in the United States is $60,800 a year, and half earn between $49,430 and $77,290 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many masons are there in the United States?
53,520 people work as masons, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
Where do masons earn the most?
The highest median pay is in Massachusetts ($94,370), Washington ($92,910), Minnesota ($89,170).
Do masons need a license?
Licensing is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists the licenses each state requires and the agency that issues each.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop License Finder
- OSHA respirable crystalline silica in construction (29 CFR 1926.1153)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .