Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (SOC 47-2051) earn a median $57,020 a year ($27.41 an hour) in the United States, with 206,170 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What cement masons and concrete finishers do
Cement masons and concrete finishers smooth and finish poured concrete surfaces such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads and curbs. They check that the forms are properly built, set them to the desired pitch and depth and align them, then spread, level and smooth the concrete with rakes, shovels, floats, and hand or power trowels and screeds. They may signal the truck driver, move the chute to direct the pour, and direct laborers who spread the concrete. Edges and expansion joints are molded with edging tools and jointers, a rough surface can be produced with a broom, and voids are patched and saws used to cut expansion joints. Throughout, they monitor how wind, heat or cold affects curing. Installers of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units are classified with landscaping and groundskeeping workers instead, and construction laborers, who perform general site labor, are separate.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report that no high school diploma is required, and training happens on the job.
Also called: Cement Finisher, Cement Gun Operator, Cement Mason, Cement Mason Concrete Finisher, Cement Patcher.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.84 | $22.60 | $27.41 | $32.15 | $41.10 | $28.87 | 206,170 |
| Annual | $39,190 | $47,010 | $57,020 | $66,870 | $85,480 | $60,050 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where cement masons and concrete finishers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $23.57 | $32.36 | $46.10 | $47.69 | $53.00 | $41.09 | 650 | 1.03 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $49,030 | $67,310 | $95,890 | $99,190 | $110,230 | $85,470 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $40.60 | $44.33 | $44.69 | $54.34 | $59.56 | $48.08 | 240 | 0.73 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $84,450 | $92,210 | $92,960 | $113,020 | $123,880 | $100,010 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $23.58 | $27.82 | $37.58 | $47.56 | $51.77 | $37.40 | 5,890 | 0.97 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $49,050 | $57,860 | $78,170 | $98,930 | $107,670 | $77,800 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.90 | $28.31 | $37.27 | $47.25 | $60.44 | $39.37 | 4,440 | 1.25 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $49,710 | $58,880 | $77,520 | $98,280 | $125,720 | $81,900 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $23.56 | $27.85 | $32.95 | $39.84 | $45.45 | $33.78 | 2,170 | 1.10 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $49,000 | $57,930 | $68,530 | $82,860 | $94,540 | $70,260 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.36 | $24.73 | $30.15 | $40.42 | $48.95 | $34.09 | 28,700 | 1.58 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $46,510 | $51,450 | $62,700 | $84,070 | $101,810 | $70,920 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.48 | $19.53 | $22.84 | $26.73 | $29.22 | $23.69 | 26,430 | 1.88 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $36,360 | $40,620 | $47,500 | $55,590 | $60,770 | $49,270 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.38 | $21.95 | $23.40 | $27.53 | $30.44 | $25.26 | 15,240 | 1.53 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $38,240 | $45,660 | $48,680 | $57,270 | $63,310 | $52,530 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.82 | $27.18 | $30.79 | $40.59 | $49.50 | $34.92 | 9,060 | 0.94 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $49,540 | $56,540 | $64,040 | $84,440 | $102,970 | $72,630 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $22.88 | $23.76 | $28.32 | $31.43 | $36.90 | $28.62 | 7,520 | 2.32 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $47,580 | $49,410 | $58,910 | $65,380 | $76,750 | $59,530 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $25.64 | $36.41 | $50.22 | $54.26 | $59.01 | $44.52 | 60 | 0.82 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $53,340 | $75,730 | $104,450 | $112,860 | $122,740 | $92,610 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $24.21 | $33.80 | $46.28 | $47.60 | $52.35 | $41.72 | 500 | 1.12 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $50,360 | $70,310 | $96,260 | $99,010 | $108,890 | $86,770 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $44.43 | $44.43 | $44.43 | $59.56 | $59.56 | $49.85 | 40 | 1.11 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $92,410 | $92,410 | $92,410 | $123,880 | $123,880 | $103,690 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $40.13 | $44.33 | $44.35 | $53.55 | $59.43 | $47.63 | 160 | 0.92 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $83,460 | $92,210 | $92,250 | $111,380 | $123,620 | $99,060 | ||||
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | Hourly | $24.00 | $30.00 | $42.84 | $53.69 | $53.69 | $41.12 | 50 | 0.99 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $62,400 | $89,100 | $111,680 | $111,680 | $85,530 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $24.10 | $27.40 | $31.57 | $42.34 | $50.92 | $35.55 | 8,390 | 0.88 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $50,140 | $57,000 | $65,670 | $88,080 | $105,920 | $73,940 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.28 | $21.31 | $23.45 | $27.15 | $29.10 | $24.22 | 7,920 | 1.96 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $38,010 | $44,310 | $48,770 | $56,470 | $60,530 | $50,380 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.19 | $25.10 | $30.67 | $40.34 | $47.80 | $33.67 | 7,810 | 1.25 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $46,160 | $52,210 | $63,790 | $83,910 | $99,420 | $70,030 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.46 | $18.65 | $22.40 | $26.83 | $29.96 | $23.72 | 7,700 | 2.34 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $36,310 | $38,800 | $46,600 | $55,800 | $62,320 | $49,340 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $23.50 | $23.79 | $28.49 | $32.02 | $37.71 | $29.25 | 6,120 | 2.58 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $48,880 | $49,490 | $59,260 | $66,590 | $78,440 | $60,840 | ||||
Top industries employing cement masons and concrete finishers
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors employ 50.6% of cement masons and concrete finishers nationally (104,250 jobs) at a median $56,410 a year ($27.12 an hour), followed by Other Specialty Trade Contractors (16.2%) and Nonresidential Building Construction (9.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 104,250 | 50.6% | $56,410 | $27.12 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 33,380 | 16.2% | $58,770 | $28.26 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 19,610 | 9.5% | $61,180 | $29.41 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction NAICS 237300 | 17,730 | 8.6% | $55,480 | $26.67 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 8,570 | 4.2% | $58,160 | $27.96 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (206,170). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,340 for cement masons and concrete finishers in May 2021 and $57,020 in May 2025, with employment of 186,600 and 206,170.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,340 | $22.76 | 186,600 |
| May 2022 | $48,300 | $23.22 | 196,730 |
| May 2023 | $50,720 | $24.38 | 203,560 |
| May 2024 | $54,660 | $26.28 | 205,230 |
| May 2025 | $57,020 | $27.41 | 206,170 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii profile | $46.10 | $95,890 | $49,030 | $110,230 | 650 | 1.03 | 0.78 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $44.69 | $92,960 | $84,450 | $123,880 | 240 | 0.73 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Illinois profile | $37.58 | $78,170 | $49,050 | $107,670 | 5,890 | 0.97 | 0.73 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $37.27 | $77,520 | $49,710 | $125,720 | 4,440 | 1.25 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $32.95 | $68,530 | $49,000 | $94,540 | 2,170 | 1.10 | 0.83 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $32.13 | $66,830 | $49,380 | $98,610 | 3,070 | 1.04 | 0.79 |
| 7 | Wisconsin profile | $30.89 | $64,250 | $48,410 | $93,910 | 4,490 | 1.53 | 1.15 |
| 8 | New York profile | $30.79 | $64,040 | $49,540 | $102,970 | 9,060 | 0.94 | 0.71 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $30.69 | $63,840 | $49,330 | $111,910 | 1,590 | 0.44 | 0.33 |
| 10 | Ohio profile | $30.28 | $62,990 | $44,130 | $81,320 | 6,060 | 1.09 | 0.82 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $30.26 | $62,950 | $49,220 | $94,110 | 250 | 0.49 | 0.37 |
| 12 | California profile | $30.15 | $62,700 | $46,510 | $101,810 | 28,700 | 1.58 | 1.19 |
| 13 | District of Columbia profile | $29.65 | $61,680 | $47,050 | $87,120 | 320 | 0.46 | 0.35 |
| 14 | Montana profile | $29.63 | $61,620 | $48,170 | $76,950 | 780 | 1.53 | 1.15 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.62 | $61,610 | $44,090 | $78,100 | 5,180 | 0.85 | 0.64 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $29.52 | $61,410 | $44,730 | $105,920 | 2,390 | 0.56 | 0.42 |
| 17 | Missouri profile | $29.51 | $61,390 | $42,280 | $87,010 | 6,220 | 2.12 | 1.60 |
| 18 | Indiana profile | $29.46 | $61,270 | $44,680 | $76,850 | 4,390 | 1.37 | 1.03 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $29.44 | $61,230 | $45,650 | $90,020 | 3,290 | 2.12 | 1.60 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $29.40 | $61,160 | $49,390 | $76,500 | 270 | 0.88 | 0.67 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $29.18 | $60,700 | $46,130 | $75,540 | 5,140 | 1.79 | 1.35 |
| 22 | Michigan profile | $28.78 | $59,860 | $43,860 | $75,650 | 6,350 | 1.44 | 1.09 |
| 23 | Arizona profile | $28.32 | $58,910 | $47,580 | $76,750 | 7,520 | 2.32 | 1.75 |
| 24 | Connecticut profile | $28.19 | $58,640 | $38,590 | $90,710 | 610 | 0.36 | 0.27 |
| 25 | Wyoming profile | $28.10 | $58,450 | $46,570 | $73,860 | 620 | 2.23 | 1.68 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $27.99 | $58,220 | $40,910 | $74,180 | 2,110 | 1.36 | 1.02 |
| 27 | North Dakota profile | $27.74 | $57,710 | $46,500 | $71,440 | 1,190 | 2.77 | 2.09 |
| 28 | Delaware profile | $27.42 | $57,030 | $44,130 | $79,260 | 400 | 0.83 | 0.62 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $27.13 | $56,420 | $45,750 | $66,830 | 5,340 | 3.08 | 2.32 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $27.12 | $56,410 | $43,420 | $72,410 | 2,540 | 2.96 | 2.23 |
| 31 | Maine profile | $26.77 | $55,680 | $38,350 | $75,370 | 730 | 1.14 | 0.86 |
| 32 | New Hampshire profile | $26.06 | $54,210 | $45,120 | $75,570 | 300 | 0.44 | 0.33 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | $25.06 | $52,130 | $39,010 | $79,670 | 3,610 | 2.51 | 1.89 |
| 34 | Maryland profile | $24.98 | $51,950 | $39,300 | $71,820 | 2,540 | 0.92 | 0.69 |
| 35 | West Virginia profile | $24.98 | $51,950 | $32,170 | $63,790 | 760 | 1.08 | 0.82 |
| 36 | Virginia profile | $24.49 | $50,930 | $37,420 | $72,690 | 4,020 | 0.98 | 0.74 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $24.14 | $50,200 | $37,490 | $67,530 | 1,280 | 0.64 | 0.48 |
| 38 | Nebraska profile | $23.80 | $49,510 | $42,670 | $62,950 | 3,200 | 3.13 | 2.36 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $23.73 | $49,360 | $36,760 | $76,730 | 1,930 | 0.84 | 0.63 |
| 40 | New Mexico profile | $23.67 | $49,230 | $39,350 | $70,260 | 1,540 | 1.77 | 1.33 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $23.64 | $49,180 | $35,670 | $74,190 | 910 | 0.47 | 0.35 |
| 42 | Florida profile | $23.40 | $48,680 | $38,240 | $63,310 | 15,240 | 1.53 | 1.16 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $23.04 | $47,910 | $35,990 | $60,440 | 3,920 | 1.19 | 0.90 |
| 44 | Texas profile | $22.84 | $47,500 | $36,360 | $60,770 | 26,430 | 1.88 | 1.42 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $22.67 | $47,160 | $36,640 | $63,380 | 2,550 | 5.58 | 4.21 |
| 46 | North Carolina profile | $22.49 | $46,780 | $37,090 | $60,290 | 4,610 | 0.93 | 0.70 |
| 47 | Georgia profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $31,990 | $72,150 | 3,400 | 0.70 | 0.52 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $22.23 | $46,230 | $34,260 | $59,340 | 1,900 | 1.46 | 1.10 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $22.00 | $45,750 | $36,380 | $57,860 | 2,980 | 1.75 | 1.32 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $21.50 | $44,720 | $34,890 | $60,240 | 2,110 | 1.00 | 0.75 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $21.14 | $43,980 | $32,710 | $57,020 | 930 | 0.80 | 0.60 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (47-2050), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2051 Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.