Stonemasons
Stonemasons (SOC 47-2022) earn a median $57,390 a year ($27.59 an hour) in the United States, with 7,820 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Wisconsin.
What stonemasons do
Stonemasons build stone structures such as piers, walls and abutments, and lay walks, curbstones and special masonry for vats, tanks and floors. They lay out a wall pattern or foundation with a straightedge, rule or staked line, then set each stone or marble piece in place and check it for plumb and level with a plumb bob, gauge line or level. Joints between stones are filled and finished with a trowel and tuck pointer, wedges are removed, and excess mortar or grout is cleaned off the surface with a sponge, brush, water or acid. Stone is also shaped, trimmed, faced and cut before setting, using power saws, cutting equipment and hand tools, and mortar or grout is mixed and spread on the job. Some stonemasons construct and install prefabricated masonry units, and some work on monuments. The occupation is close to brickmasons, who work in brick and block, and to tile and stone setters, who apply hard tile and stone to surfaces rather than building up stone structures.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or the equivalent as the education needed.
Also called: Artificial Stone Applicator, Banker Mason, Composition Stone Applicator, Construction Monument Setter, Curbstone Setter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.89 | $21.85 | $27.59 | $34.44 | $41.43 | $29.19 | 7,820 |
| Annual | $39,300 | $45,450 | $57,390 | $71,630 | $86,180 | $60,710 | ||
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 stonemasons 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 | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $24.90 | $29.89 | $39.78 | $41.03 | $41.65 | $36.27 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $51,790 | $62,170 | $82,740 | $85,340 | $86,620 | $75,430 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $25.82 | $27.78 | $38.27 | $38.28 | $42.78 | $34.96 | 220 | 0.14 | 2.84 |
| Annual | $53,710 | $57,780 | $79,600 | $79,620 | $88,990 | $72,720 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.24 | $27.50 | $37.50 | $52.54 | $54.60 | $38.63 | 350 | 0.10 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $46,260 | $57,200 | $78,010 | $109,280 | $113,560 | $80,360 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $21.82 | $28.92 | $33.47 | $40.00 | $58.33 | $36.46 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $45,390 | $60,140 | $69,610 | $83,200 | $121,330 | $75,840 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.15 | $27.59 | $31.83 | $35.85 | $39.87 | $32.28 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $50,230 | $57,400 | $66,210 | $74,570 | $82,920 | $67,130 | ||||
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 | $22.39 | $23.91 | $29.29 | $36.95 | $47.92 | $31.99 | 1,250 | 0.07 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $46,570 | $49,740 | $60,930 | $76,860 | $99,680 | $66,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.18 | $18.46 | $22.02 | $26.68 | $31.07 | $22.88 | 420 | 0.03 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $35,730 | $38,400 | $45,790 | $55,490 | $64,620 | $47,580 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.24 | $27.50 | $37.50 | $52.54 | $54.60 | $38.63 | 350 | 0.10 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $46,260 | $57,200 | $78,010 | $109,280 | $113,560 | $80,360 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $15.38 | $15.39 | $20.25 | $28.37 | $28.37 | $21.54 | 270 | 0.08 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $32,000 | $32,000 | $42,130 | $59,000 | $59,000 | $44,810 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.99 | $20.23 | $21.29 | $22.77 | $28.09 | $22.00 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $39,500 | $42,080 | $44,280 | $47,360 | $58,430 | $45,750 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $20.68 | $25.10 | $45.40 | $52.82 | $52.82 | $39.41 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $43,020 | $52,200 | $94,420 | $109,870 | $109,870 | $81,970 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.81 | $39.29 | $54.00 | $57.97 | $42.07 | 230 | 0.11 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $62,010 | $81,730 | $112,320 | $120,580 | $87,500 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $27.78 | $38.27 | $38.27 | $38.50 | $44.48 | $37.66 | 150 | 0.14 | 2.69 |
| Annual | $57,780 | $79,600 | $79,600 | $80,080 | $92,510 | $78,340 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $21.82 | $28.92 | $34.87 | $40.00 | $58.34 | $37.56 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $45,390 | $60,140 | $72,540 | $83,200 | $121,350 | $78,130 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $24.65 | $25.47 | $32.11 | $42.15 | $56.51 | $36.43 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $51,270 | $52,970 | $66,790 | $87,670 | $117,540 | $75,780 | ||||
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 | $20.29 | $24.63 | $29.42 | $35.23 | $39.99 | $30.77 | 820 | 0.09 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $42,210 | $51,230 | $61,200 | $73,280 | $83,190 | $63,990 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.39 | $23.31 | $29.66 | $36.95 | $37.47 | $31.67 | 310 | 0.05 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $46,570 | $48,480 | $61,690 | $76,860 | $77,940 | $65,870 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.81 | $39.29 | $54.00 | $57.97 | $42.07 | 230 | 0.11 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $62,010 | $81,730 | $112,320 | $120,580 | $87,500 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $21.29 | $21.83 | $23.16 | $27.40 | $28.30 | $24.94 | 180 | 0.06 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $44,280 | $45,400 | $48,180 | $56,980 | $58,860 | $51,880 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $21.27 | $22.96 | $29.40 | $34.36 | $39.87 | $29.54 | 160 | 0.06 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $44,240 | $47,750 | $61,140 | $71,470 | $82,920 | $61,440 | ||||
Top industries employing stonemasons
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors employ 61.1% of stonemasons nationally (4,780 jobs) at a median $56,980 a year ($27.40 an hour), followed by Building Finishing Contractors (14.3%) and Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (6.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 4,780 | 61.1% | $56,980 | $27.40 |
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 1,120 | 14.3% | $60,140 | $28.91 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000 | 520 | 6.6% | $46,870 | $22.54 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers NAICS 459900 | 200 | 2.6% | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 50 | 0.6% | $40,540 | $19.49 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (7,820). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,610 for stonemasons in May 2021 and $57,390 in May 2025, with employment of 9,000 and 7,820.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,610 | $22.89 | 9,000 |
| May 2022 | $50,210 | $24.14 | 10,220 |
| May 2023 | $51,830 | $24.92 | 9,790 |
| May 2024 | $51,990 | $25.00 | 8,750 |
| May 2025 | $57,390 | $27.59 | 7,820 |
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
31 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 | Wisconsin profile | $39.78 | $82,740 | $51,790 | $86,620 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $38.27 | $79,600 | $53,710 | $88,990 | 220 | 0.14 | 2.84 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $37.50 | $78,010 | $46,260 | $113,560 | 350 | 0.10 | 1.99 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $33.47 | $69,610 | $45,390 | $121,330 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $31.83 | $66,210 | $50,230 | $82,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $31.71 | $65,950 | $49,320 | $120,480 | 80 | 0.25 | 4.96 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $30.05 | $62,510 | $35,640 | $68,700 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Montana profile | $29.35 | $61,040 | $50,250 | $85,340 | 160 | 0.32 | 6.29 |
| 9 | Maine profile | $29.32 | $60,980 | $45,930 | $74,260 | 230 | 0.37 | 7.29 |
| 10 | California profile | $29.29 | $60,930 | $46,570 | $99,680 | 1,250 | 0.07 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Minnesota profile | $29.09 | $60,510 | $42,130 | $100,520 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $28.44 | $59,160 | $50,290 | $79,080 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.60 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.39 | $59,060 | $39,570 | $92,320 | 160 | 0.03 | 0.52 |
| 14 | Florida profile | $28.35 | $58,980 | $37,430 | $72,350 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $27.69 | $57,600 | $46,140 | $68,440 | 40 | 0.06 | 1.25 |
| 16 | Kansas profile | $27.67 | $57,550 | $45,280 | $73,960 | 90 | 0.06 | 1.22 |
| 17 | North Carolina profile | $25.37 | $52,760 | $46,280 | $53,060 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Colorado profile | $23.86 | $49,630 | $40,040 | $64,620 | 240 | 0.08 | 1.63 |
| 19 | Utah profile | $23.68 | $49,260 | $37,170 | $60,390 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $23.47 | $48,820 | $41,790 | $74,330 | 150 | 0.03 | 0.52 |
| 21 | Virginia profile | $23.34 | $48,550 | $39,820 | $56,980 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | New York profile | $22.59 | $46,980 | $36,300 | $73,290 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | $22.51 | $46,830 | $34,230 | $65,000 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.88 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $22.05 | $45,870 | $35,710 | $70,000 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $22.02 | $45,790 | $35,730 | $64,620 | 420 | 0.03 | 0.59 |
| 26 | Maryland profile | $21.29 | $44,280 | $39,500 | $58,430 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.78 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | $21.10 | $43,880 | $35,370 | $67,330 | 200 | 0.07 | 1.34 |
| 28 | Alabama profile | $20.29 | $42,210 | $26,380 | $45,450 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | $20.25 | $42,130 | $32,000 | $59,000 | 270 | 0.08 | 1.67 |
| 30 | Oklahoma profile | $19.68 | $40,930 | $34,750 | $47,910 | ** | ** | ** |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $19.57 | $40,700 | $34,200 | $59,980 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.94 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (47-2020), 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 47-2022 Stonemasons.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 47-2022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2022.00, 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.