Brickmasons and Blockmasons Career, Salary and Skills
Brickmasons and Blockmasons have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $62,120 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 52,550. Wage data is published for 206 locations.
Occupation description
Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances, to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.
O*NET code
47-2021.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$62,120
Hourly median
$29.87
Employment
52,550
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.25 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Learning | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Mathematics | 2.88 | 3.38 |
Typical tasks
- Fasten or fuse brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement.
- Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.
- Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners using a line from corner to corner to guide each course, or layer, of brick.
- Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface.
- Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses.
- Break or cut bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using trowel edge, hammer, or power saw.
- Interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications and to calculate the materials required.
- Remove excess mortar with trowels and hand tools, and finish mortar joints with jointing tools, for a sealed, uniform appearance.
Technology
- Construction Management Software ProEst
- CPR Visual Estimator
- Daystar iStructural.com
- Estimating software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Windows
- RISA Technologies RISA-3D
- Tradesman's Software Master Estimator
Brickmasons and Blockmasons salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in TXMedian $56,410 · Employment 4,300
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in CAMedian $69,050 · Employment 3,820
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in NYMedian $84,410 · Employment 3,790
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in New York, NYMedian $92,300 · Employment 3,010
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in PAMedian $69,560 · Employment 2,910
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in OHMedian $70,950 · Employment 2,770
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in FLMedian $52,760 · Employment 2,610
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in ILMedian $89,980 · Employment 2,490
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in VAMedian $54,680 · Employment 2,350
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in MIMedian $63,500 · Employment 2,240
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $89,980 · Employment 2,140
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary in MOMedian $72,370 · Employment 1,940
Related careers
- BoilermakersNational median $76,410
- Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersNational median $51,330
- GlaziersNational median $57,080
- Sheet Metal WorkersNational median $61,800
- Insulation Workers, MechanicalNational median $58,340
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar WorkersNational median $58,970
- Structural Iron and Steel WorkersNational median $62,780
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticNational median $46,170
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.