Brickmason

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

• Median pay
  $62,120
  $29.87/hour · May 2025
• Job growth
  +1.1%
  2025–35, slower than average
• Openings per year
  4,100
  Average, 2025–35
• Typical entry education
  High school diploma or equivalent
  BLS classification
• Time to train
  3–4 years (apprenticeship)
  Typical program length
• U.S. jobs
  62,400
  Employment, 2025

What brickmasons do

Brickmasons build some of the most durable structures there are. They read plans, set up lines and leads, mix mortar, lay brick and block in level courses, and install ties, flashing and reinforcement. They build and repair walls, chimneys, fireplaces, patios and commercial building facades, and restoration masons repair historic masonry.

Most masons learn through apprenticeships that last three to four years, often with the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers or contractor associations. The work is physical and outdoors, and skilled masons are in steady demand because fewer young workers enter the trade.

Typical duties

• Read blueprints and lay out walls
• Mix mortar to the right consistency
• Build leads and set string lines
• Lay brick and block in level, plumb courses
• Install wall ties, flashing, weep holes and reinforcement
• Tool mortar joints to a finished profile
• Clean masonry and repair or repoint old work

Work environment and schedule

Masons work outdoors on residential, commercial and institutional construction, often on scaffolds. The job involves heavy lifting, bending and repetitive motion, and exposure to weather and silica dust when cutting.

Schedule: Most masons work full-time during daylight hours. Work can slow in freezing or wet weather, when mortar can’t cure properly.

A day in the life

1. 7:00 AMSet up scaffolding with the crew and check the wall layout against the plans.
2. 7:45 AMMix the first batch of Type S mortar and stock the scaffold with block.
3. 8:30 AMBuild corner leads and check them with a level and story pole.
4. 10:00 AMLay block between the leads to the string line, installing horizontal reinforcement.

See a full day in the life of a brickmason →

Brickmason salary

Half of brickmasons earned more than $62,120 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $44,820 for the lowest 10% to $100,010 for the top 10%.

Full brickmason pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become a brickmason

1. Finish high school
2. Start as a mason tender or helper
3. Enter an apprenticeship
4. Become a journeyworker
5. Advance

A high school diploma is typical. Most brickmasons complete a three- to four-year apprenticeship that combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction in blueprint reading, layout, math and safety. Some start in technical school masonry programs.

Step-by-step guide to becoming a brickmason →

Skills and tools

All brickmason skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Certifications and licenses

• Apprenticeship completion: Journeyworker status from a registered apprenticeship.
• OSHA 10 or 30-Hour Construction: Construction safety training.
• Scaffold user or competent person training: Training on safe scaffold use and inspection.
• Masonry certifications: Such as NCCER Masonry or the Mason Contractors Association of America’s credentials.

Career path

1. Mason Tender or Helper: Mix mortar and stock materials.
2. Apprentice Brickmason: Learn layout, brick and block work.
3. Journeyworker Mason or Restoration Specialist: Lay all types of masonry and repair historic work.
4. Foreman or Masonry Contractor: Lead crews or run your own business.

Learn the job before day one

Our Brickmason training (10 hours, $89.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as lay a course of brick to the line and mix mortar to the right consistency, safety and how to land your first job.

Related careers

Compare: Brickmason vs. Carpenter · Brickmason vs. Concrete Finisher · Brickmason vs. Construction Laborer · Brickmason vs. Ironworker

More brickmason questions →