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Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2021.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$57,705

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+0.6%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

83.9% of the workforce

Employment
69.28K jobs

Growing to 69.72K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What brickmasons and blockmasons do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • 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.
  • Clean working surface to remove scale, dust, soot, or chips of brick and mortar, using broom, wire brush, or scraper.
  • Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, dirt, or mortar powder with water to form refractory mixtures.
  • Examine brickwork or structure to determine need for repair.
  • Remove burned or damaged brick or mortar, using sledgehammer, crowbar, chipping gun, or chisel.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$37,102
25th percentile
$45,086
50th percentile
$57,705
75th percentile
$78,168
90th percentile
$111,347

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $57,705 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+0.6%average or slower
202569,282 jobs
2035 projected69,719 jobs

437 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
83.9%
Some college
13.4%
Associate degree
2.7%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Masonry
  • Construction
  • Lifting Ability
  • Hand Tools
  • Power Tool Operation
  • Blueprinting
  • Safety Standards
  • Sawing
  • Project Management
  • Retaining Wall
  • Tuckpointing
  • Caulking
  • Carpentry
  • Concrete Forming
  • Good Driving Record
  • Family Medicine
  • Renovation
  • Physical Stamina
  • Commercial Construction
  • Blueprint Reading

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Equipment Selection
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Masons759 postings
  2. 02Brick Masons448 postings
  3. 03Bricklayers370 postings
  4. 04Mason Laborers174 postings
  5. 05Masonry Laborers169 postings
  6. 06Masonry Contractors155 postings
  7. 07Cement Masons106 postings
  8. 08Experienced Auditors69 postings
  9. 09Foremen64 postings
  10. 10Chimney Sweeps60 postings
  11. 11Masons Apprentice57 postings
  12. 12Mason Foremen48 postings
  13. 13CDL-A Truck Drivers47 postings
  14. 14Journeyman Masons45 postings
  15. 15Masonry Foremen43 postings
  16. 16Skilled Cooks40 postings
  17. 17Project Technicians36 postings
  18. 18Commercial Managers35 postings
  19. 19Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants35 postings
  20. 20Installers34 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Trinity Health144 postings
  2. 02M H Masonry & Associates134 postings
  3. 03Lang Masonry Contractors91 postings
  4. 04Centimark Corporation64 postings
  5. 05Tradesmen International63 postings
  6. 06Bearcom57 postings
  7. 07Soliant Health55 postings
  8. 08GO Staffing54 postings
  9. 09Mid-Continental Restoration Company49 postings
  10. 10Aerotek48 postings
  11. 11Dibara Masonry48 postings
  12. 12All Star HealthCare47 postings
  13. 13Mercyhealth37 postings
  14. 14Mason City School District31 postings
  15. 15Weatherby Healthcare29 postings
  16. 16Buckeye Construction & Restoration24 postings
  17. 17Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center23 postings
  18. 18Condustrial23 postings
  19. 19Practicematch22 postings
  20. 20CompHealth21 postings

Keep looking

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