🔧 Skilled Trades ↑ 4% growth · Average

Bricklayer / Mason

Bricklayers and masons build and repair structures from brick, block, and stone — everything from house foundations to landmark facades. Masonry is one of the oldest building crafts and remains essential to construction today, with self-employment opportunities that let skilled craftspeople build their own businesses.

$54,880 Median Salary

82K US Jobs

3–4 years Training

$0 (earn while you learn) Typical Cost

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💰 Salary & Earning Potential

Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Figures represent national averages — local wages vary by state, city, and employer.

Bricklayer apprentices typically earn $20–$28 per hour during their multi-year apprenticeship. Journeyman bricklayers under Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers union agreements earn $40–$70+ per hour depending on geographic market, with comprehensive pension and benefit contributions. Total annual earnings for active journeyman bricklayers commonly reach $75,000–$120,000. Non-union bricklayers working in residential and light commercial markets earn less — typically $35,000–$60,000 — but may have more consistent year-round employment in some regions.

Entry Level

$37,000

Median

$54,880

Experienced

$80,000

Want your state's salary? Select a state below to see local wage data, demand, and training programs.

📈 Job Outlook

Projected Growth (10yr)

Average

82K

Total US Jobs

Active positions nationwide

IMTEF Apprenticeship + State License

Required Credential

IMTEF Apprenticeship + State License (varies)

Bricklayers and masonry workers benefit from consistent demand in residential, commercial, and institutional construction, as well as restoration work on historical brick buildings. The durability and fire resistance of masonry make it a preferred material for many building types. Infrastructure investment in schools, hospitals, and government buildings drives brick and block work demand. The residential market benefits from brick's longevity and low maintenance reputation, particularly in the South and Midwest where brick is a preferred exterior material. Experienced bricklayers who can work on historical restoration projects — matching antique brick patterns and mortar formulations — command premium rates.

🎓 Training & Education

Typical Program

Apprenticeship

Program Length

3–4 years

Typical Tuition

$0 (earn while you learn)

Work Setting

Residential construction, commercial buildings, infrastructure

Bricklayers typically learn the trade through a three-to-four-year apprenticeship program sponsored by the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers union in partnership with local contractors. Programs combine on-the-job training hours with classroom instruction in blueprint reading, masonry materials science, pattern work, and safety. Apprentices work alongside journeymen, progressively advancing through more complex tasks. Some vocational programs offer masonry pre-apprenticeship courses that provide foundational skills before entering the formal apprenticeship. Physical fitness and the ability to perform sustained heavy labor in outdoor conditions are essential.

🏆 Credential Required: IMTEF Apprenticeship + State License (varies)

☀️ Day in the Life

A Bricklayer arrives at the job site, reviews the day's work area with the foreman, and begins by setting up scaffolding to the working height of the current course. They mix or receive pre-mixed mortar from the mixer, prepare a bed joint on the previous course, and begin laying brick at a rate that balances quality with production targets. Using a trowel, they spread mortar, place each brick, tap it level with the trowel handle, and check alignment using a string line stretched between corner leads they established earlier. Every few courses they verify plumb with a spirit level and check horizontal courses against a story pole that marks window and door heights. Cutting bricks to fit corners, windows, and special openings requires a masonry saw or hand-splitting technique. Tuckpointing, parging, and surface cleaning round out the day when new laying work is complete.

⚖️ Pros & Cons

Pros

Durable trade with consistent demand: Masonry construction has existed for millennia and faces no automation threat in the near term, providing long-term career stability.
Strong union compensation: Journeyman bricklayers under union contracts earn wages and benefits that compete favorably with four-year-degree careers.
Visible and lasting craftsmanship: Laying a brick wall that will stand for 100 years provides a profound sense of accomplishment and permanence that few careers offer.
Regional demand in brick-belt markets: The South, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest have strong brick construction traditions that sustain high demand for skilled bricklayers.
Pathway to supervision and contractor roles: Experienced journeyman bricklayers often advance to foreman, superintendent, or establish their own masonry contracting businesses.

Cons

Physically demanding and weather-exposed work: Sustained kneeling, lifting, and working in heat, cold, and rain take a significant physical toll over a bricklaying career.
Seasonal employment gaps in northern climates: Cold weather can halt masonry construction for months in northern states, creating income gaps for bricklayers without supplemental work.
Dust and silica exposure risks: Cutting brick and block generates silica dust — a respiratory hazard requiring consistent respirator use and engineering controls.
Learning curve to develop speed: Apprentice production rates are much lower than journeyman rates, and the pressure to increase speed while maintaining quality takes years to master.