Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Career, Salary and Skills
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $61,290 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 1,080. Wage data is published for 9 locations.
Occupation description
Build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.
O*NET code
49-9045.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
National salary and employment
Median annual
$61,290
Hourly median
$29.47
Employment
1,080
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Repairing | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Operation and Control | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Coordination | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.50 |
Typical tasks
- Reline or repair ladles and pouring spouts with refractory clay, using trowels.
- Chip slag from linings of ladles or remove linings when beyond repair, using hammers and chisels.
- Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, mortar powder, and water to form refractory clay or mortar, using shovels or mixing machines.
- Measure furnace walls to determine dimensions and cut required number of sheets from plastic block, using saws.
- Dry and bake new linings by placing inverted linings over burners, building fires in ladles, or by using blowtorches.
- Remove worn or damaged plastic block refractory linings of furnaces, using hand tools.
- Climb scaffolding, carrying hoses, and spray surfaces of cupolas with refractory mixtures, using spray equipment.
- Spread mortar on stopper heads and rods, using trowels, and slide brick sleeves over rods to form refractory jackets.
Technology
- Maintenance management software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Time tracking software
Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in OHMedian $58,470 · Employment 250
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in TXMedian $67,330 · Employment 130
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in ALMedian $47,650 · Employment 110
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in INMedian $74,600 · Employment 90
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in Birmingham, ALMedian $49,260 · Employment 50
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in SCMedian $37,870 · Employment 50
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in Houston, TXMedian $67,380 · Employment 50
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in CAMedian $77,220 · Employment —
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $77,220 · Employment —
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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.