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Brickmasons and Blockmasons: Job 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.
The Daily Work of Brickmasons and Blockmasons Perform?
Typical responsibilities of brickmasons and blockmasons cover:
- 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.
- Fasten or fuse brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful brickmasons and blockmasons draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adobe Layer
- Block Layer
- Block Mason
- Block Paver
- Blockmason
- Bottom Liner
- Brick Chimney Builder
- Brick Dropper
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 444,707 brickmasons and blockmasons working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -4.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Brickmasons and Blockmasons Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $50,255 |
| Hourly median | $24.16 |
| 10th percentile | $32,433 |
| 25th percentile | $41,344 |
| 75th percentile | $59,166 |
| 90th percentile | $68,077 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $94,370 |
| Washington | $92,910 |
| Minnesota | $89,170 |
| Illinois | $86,330 |
| Wisconsin | $78,700 |
| Connecticut | $78,030 |
| New York | $77,600 |
| Hawaii | $77,260 |
| New Jersey | $75,300 |
| Oregon | $74,870 |
| Indiana | $72,050 |
| Missouri | $70,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,220 |
| Maine | $67,220 |
| California | $66,420 |
| New Hampshire | $65,450 |
| Montana | $65,070 |
| District of Columbia | $64,100 |
| Ohio | $64,030 |
| Colorado | $63,480 |
| Iowa | $63,470 |
| Tennessee | $63,440 |
| Idaho | $63,040 |
| Michigan | $62,970 |
| Kentucky | $62,160 |
| South Dakota | $61,260 |
| Nevada | $60,570 |
| Vermont | $60,290 |
| Georgia | $60,270 |
| North Dakota | $60,260 |
| Nebraska | $60,060 |
| Arizona | $59,400 |
| Maryland | $58,420 |
| Delaware | $58,410 |
| Wyoming | $58,150 |
| Utah | $56,340 |
| Rhode Island | $55,730 |
| Virginia | $55,630 |
| Kansas | $54,770 |
| Texas | $51,020 |
| Florida | $49,980 |
| Virgin Islands | $49,920 |
| Mississippi | $49,300 |
| Puerto Rico | $48,940 |
| Alabama | $48,820 |
| North Carolina | $48,420 |
| Arkansas | $48,100 |
| Louisiana | $47,370 |
| Oklahoma | $47,330 |
| New Mexico | $47,280 |
| West Virginia | $46,810 |
| South Carolina | $43,680 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for brickmasons and blockmasons shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $82,834 | 3.9% | 0.86 |
| Great Lakes | $72,189 | 20.4% | 1.49 |
| Plains States | $71,259 | 9.1% | 1.49 |
| Far Western US | $69,751 | 10.7% | 0.78 |
| Middle Atlantic | $69,101 | 15.5% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $59,662 | 6.7% | 2.13 |
| Southwest | $52,543 | 12.8% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $52,421 | 20.5% | 0.99 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | MA | $103,890 | 60 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $101,120 | 420 |
| Rochester, MN | MN | $99,580 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $91,880 | 730 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $89,590 | 800 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $89,140 | 120 |
| Peoria, IL | IL | $86,590 | 200 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $86,330 | 2,480 |
Top Industries Employing Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Most brickmasons and blockmasons are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 50,650 | $61,030 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 730 | $54,340 |
| Manufacturing | 620 | $55,040 |
| Retail Trade | 290 | $57,040 |
| Educational Services | 130 | $58,530 |
| Wholesale Trade | 120 | $55,540 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Brickmasons and Blockmasons Use
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for brickmasons and blockmasons is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Standing
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How to Become Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Entry-level brickmasons and blockmasons positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Boilermakers (Supplemental)
- Stonemasons (Primary-Short)
- Carpenters (Primary-Long)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Long)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Short)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Short)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Primary-Long)
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Aspiring brickmasons and blockmasons commonly pursue programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2021.00 (Brickmasons and Blockmasons).
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