Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Also called Block Layer, Brick and Block Mason, Bricklayer, or Mason
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Brickmasons and Blockmasons do
You build walls brick by brick, spreading mortar (the wet cement paste that holds bricks together) with a trowel (a flat hand tool).
Brickmasons and blockmasons build and repair structures out of brick, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and tile. That means outside walls, inside dividing walls, arches, chimneys, and sewers. You spread mortar, set each piece in place, check that it is straight and level, then scrape off the extra mortar and smooth the lines between bricks so the finished wall looks clean and even.
The work is physical and precise at the same time. You read blueprints, measure, calculate angles, and work out how much material a job needs. You cut brick to size with a trowel edge, hammer, or power saw. Most days you are outdoors, on your feet, in whatever weather shows up, working alongside a crew on a schedule.
A day in the life
You arrive on site early, put on your safety gear, and talk through the day with your crew and the site supervisor. You measure from a fixed point and mark guidelines so the wall lands exactly where the drawings say. Corners come first, built perfectly upright (masons call this plumb), then you stretch a string between the corners as a guide and fill in each layer of brick to match. You mix and spread mortar, set brick, tap it into place, and check level again and again. You cut pieces to size when they do not fit. Later you scrape off extra mortar and finish the joints with a jointing tool, a small shaped bar that presses and smooths the mortar lines. You sweep the surface clean before you go.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like seeing a finished thing you built with your own hands
- ✓Are comfortable with measuring, angles, and simple math on the job
- ✓Can stay accurate and patient when the same motion repeats all day
- ✓Do not mind cold, heat, and rain as part of the job
- ✓Work well with a crew while still handling your own section
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to sit at a desk in a climate-controlled room
- –Struggle with heavy lifting, standing all day, and constant hand work
- –Get stressed by deadlines, site noise, and power tools nearby
- –Prefer a field that is growing fast, since this one is projected to grow +1.1% through 2035 compared with +3.5% for all jobs
How people get in
- 1Finish high school or an equivalent, and take math, shop, or drafting classes if your school offers them.
- 2Get a feel for construction work by helping on a site, working as a helper to masons, or taking a mason training program at a community or technical college.
- 3Apply for an apprenticeship, where you earn pay while learning from experienced masons over several years.
- 4On the job, build up the core skills: mixing and spreading mortar, cutting brick, building corners that are perfectly upright, and working out from the drawings exactly where each wall and corner goes.
- 5Learn site safety rules and get comfortable wearing the required gear around power saws and heavy material.
- 6Once you are experienced, move toward running a crew, specializing in repair work, or contracting on your own.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Official task list
Brickmasons and Blockmasons 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)
- 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.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
What you'll need to know
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Production and Processing
How much Brickmasons and Blockmasons make
The median pay for Brickmasons and Blockmasons in the U.S. is $62,120 a year ($29.87 an hour). Most earn between $44,820 and $100,010. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Minnesota ($95,220) and lowest in Maine ($42,710).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,710 | 370 |
| Arizona | $59,260 | 1,190 |
| Arkansas | $55,100 | 450 |
| California | $69,050 | 3,820 |
| Colorado | $65,260 | 870 |
| Connecticut | $67,960 | 480 |
| Delaware | $66,550 | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $64,450 | 200 |
| Florida | $52,760 | 2,610 |
| Georgia | $50,650 | — |
| Hawaii | $79,250 | 120 |
| Idaho | $62,510 | 320 |
| Illinois | $89,980 | 2,490 |
| Indiana | $73,110 | 1,770 |
| Iowa | $69,440 | 290 |
| Kansas | $59,220 | 330 |
| Kentucky | $59,820 | 780 |
| Louisiana | $57,440 | 240 |
| Maine | $42,710 | 90 |
| Maryland | $59,030 | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $94,950 | 1,570 |
| Michigan | $63,500 | 2,240 |
| Minnesota | $95,220 | 1,040 |
| Mississippi | $48,820 | 160 |
| Missouri | $72,370 | 1,940 |
| Montana | $56,030 | 140 |
| Nebraska | $61,200 | 350 |
| Nevada | $60,670 | 810 |
| New Hampshire | $66,890 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $77,010 | 520 |
| New Mexico | $44,980 | 270 |
| New York | $84,410 | 3,790 |
| North Carolina | $49,940 | 1,760 |
| North Dakota | $79,940 | 150 |
| Ohio | $70,950 | 2,770 |
| Oklahoma | $50,620 | 580 |
| Oregon | $79,450 | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,560 | 2,910 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,420 | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $79,280 | 220 |
| South Carolina | $49,010 | 410 |
| South Dakota | $60,380 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $63,850 | 1,050 |
| Texas | $56,410 | 4,300 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $51,390 | 90 |
| Utah | $60,450 | 1,590 |
| Vermont | $59,590 | 100 |
| Virginia | $54,680 | 2,350 |
| Washington | $83,190 | 600 |
| West Virginia | $46,600 | 210 |
| Wisconsin | $80,120 | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $60,040 | 230 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Mason 56 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 47-2021.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 47-2021. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.