A career as a bricklayer is a testament to the enduring value of skilled trades. It’s a profession that blends physical strength with precision artistry, creating the foundational structures of our homes, schools, and cities. For those considering this hands-on career, one of the most pressing questions is about earning potential. While demanding, bricklaying offers a solid, rewarding income with significant opportunities for growth.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for brickmasons and blockmasons is $61,730, or $29.68 per hour. However, this is just the midpoint. An entry-level apprentice may start lower, while a master bricklayer with specialized skills in a high-demand area can earn well over $93,000 per year.
This guide will break down the salary for a bricklayer, exploring the key factors that influence your earnings and the long-term outlook for this essential profession.
What Does a Bricklayer Do?
Before diving into the numbers, it's important to understand the role. A bricklayer, also known as a brickmason, is a skilled craftsperson who constructs and repairs walls, partitions, arches, fireplaces, and other structures made of brick, precast masonry panels, concrete blocks, and other masonry materials.
Their daily responsibilities typically include:
- Reading and interpreting blueprints and construction drawings.
- Measuring distances and marking guidelines to lay out the work.
- Mixing mortar or grout and spreading it onto the slab or foundation.
- Laying bricks, blocks, or stone according to the plans.
- Cutting or breaking bricks and blocks to size using hammers or power saws.
- Ensuring the structure is perfectly vertical and horizontal using levels and plumb bobs.
- Cleaning and polishing the finished masonry work.
It's a physically demanding job that requires meticulous attention to detail, a steady hand, and a deep understanding of materials and structural integrity.
Average salary for bricklayer Salary
The compensation for a bricklayer can vary significantly, but data from authoritative sources provides a clear picture of the typical earning potential.
As of its latest data from May 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the following salary statistics for "Brickmasons and Blockmasons":
- Median Annual Salary: $61,730
- Median Hourly Wage: $29.68
- Top 10% Earners: More than $93,440 per year
- Bottom 10% Earners: Less than $38,580 per year
This range highlights the career progression available. The lower end often represents apprentices or those in lower-cost areas, while the top end reflects the earnings of experienced, specialized, or unionized masons in high-demand locations.
Reputable salary aggregators provide similar insights. For example, Salary.com often places the median salary for a bricklayer in the United States between $58,000 and $75,000, reinforcing that a salary well above the national median for all occupations is highly achievable.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
Your specific salary as a bricklayer isn't a single number—it's a reflection of several interconnected factors. Understanding these variables is key to maximizing your earning potential.
### Level of Education
Unlike many professions, a four-year college degree is not required to become a bricklayer. Most skills are learned through hands-on training. The primary educational pathway is an apprenticeship, which combines on-the-job training with technical classroom instruction. Apprenticeships, often sponsored by unions or contractor associations, are a "learn-while-you-earn" model. While an apprentice's wage is a percentage of a fully trained worker's pay, completing a 3- to 4-year apprenticeship is the single most important step to becoming a qualified journeyman and unlocking higher wages. Some may also complete a certificate program at a vocational school to build foundational knowledge before starting their careers.
### Years of Experience
Experience is one of the most significant drivers of salary growth in the skilled trades. The career ladder and its corresponding pay scale typically look like this:
- Apprentice (0-3 Years): An apprentice earns a reduced wage (often 50-60% of a journeyman's rate) that increases systematically as they complete hours and master new skills.
- Journeyman (3-10 Years): Upon completing an apprenticeship, a bricklayer becomes a journeyman. This is a fully qualified, independent professional who can command the standard industry wage. A journeyman with 5+ years of experience has developed speed, efficiency, and problem-solving skills, making them highly valuable.
- Master Bricklayer / Foreman (10+ Years): With a decade or more of experience, a bricklayer may take on supervisory roles as a foreman, leading crews on large projects. Others become master craftspeople known for their exceptional skill in complex or specialized work. These professionals represent the top earners in the field.
### Geographic Location
Where you work matters immensely. Construction demand, cost of living, and the strength of local trade unions create significant salary variations across the country. According to the BLS, the top-paying states for brickmasons are:
1. Illinois: Average annual salary of $86,470
2. Massachusetts: Average annual salary of $85,020
3. New Jersey: Average annual salary of $82,880
4. New York: Average annual salary of $81,210
5. Washington: Average annual salary of $78,440
Conversely, states in the Southeast and some rural regions tend to offer lower average wages, though the lower cost of living can often offset this difference.
### Company Type
The type of employer you work for also plays a crucial role in your compensation package.
- Union vs. Non-Union: Union bricklayers generally earn higher hourly wages and receive more comprehensive benefits packages, including health insurance, pensions, and defined pay increases. Non-union shops may offer more flexibility but often have lower starting pay and fewer guaranteed benefits.
- Construction Contractors: Most bricklayers work for masonry or general construction contractors. Large commercial contractors working on major projects (hospitals, universities, office buildings) may offer higher and more consistent pay than smaller residential contractors.
- Self-Employed: Experienced bricklayers have the option to start their own business. This path offers the highest potential for earnings, as business owners can set their own rates. However, it also comes with the risks and responsibilities of managing finances, marketing, insurance, and client relationships.
### Area of Specialization
All bricklaying is skilled, but certain specializations require a higher level of expertise and can command premium pay.
- Refractory Masonry: This highly specialized field involves installing and repairing heat-resistant bricks (firebricks) in industrial furnaces, kilns, and boilers. It's often high-paying due to the challenging conditions and technical knowledge required.
- Heritage and Restoration: Working on historical buildings requires a deep understanding of traditional materials and techniques. This delicate, precise work is a niche skill that is often in high demand for preservation projects.
- Stonemasonry: While similar to bricklaying, working with natural stone can be more complex and artistic, allowing skilled stonemasons to charge higher rates for custom work on high-end residential and commercial properties.
Job Outlook
The career outlook for bricklayers is stable. The BLS projects that employment for brickmasons and blockmasons will show little or no change from 2022 to 2032, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.
However, this projection doesn't tell the whole story. The BLS also notes that about 4,800 openings for brickmasons are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of these openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who retire or transfer to different occupations. This means that despite flat overall growth, there will be a consistent demand for new, skilled professionals to enter the trade. As long as we build with brick and block, skilled bricklayers will be essential.
Conclusion
A career as a bricklayer offers a clear path to a stable, middle-class income without the need for a traditional college degree. While the work is physically demanding, it provides the immense satisfaction of creating lasting, tangible structures.
The key takeaways for anyone considering this path are:
- Solid Earning Potential: With a median salary over $61,000 and the potential to earn over $93,000, bricklaying is a financially viable career.
- Experience is King: Your earnings will grow significantly as you move from an apprentice to a seasoned journeyman and potentially a master bricklayer or foreman.
- Factors You Can Control: You can strategically increase your income by pursuing an apprenticeship, gaining experience, choosing a high-paying location, and developing specialized skills.
For those who enjoy working with their hands and take pride in precise, quality craftsmanship, bricklaying remains a durable and respectable career choice with a strong financial foundation.