How much do brickmasons make in Massachusetts in 2026?

The median brickmason in Massachusetts earns $94,950 a year, which works out to about $45.65 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That figure sits well above the national median for this trade, reflecting the higher cost of doing business in the state and the strong demand for skilled masonry work on commercial, institutional, and residential projects alike. These numbers come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

The spread across the pay scale is wide. Brickmasons at the 25th percentile — typically those newer to the trade or working in lower-demand areas — bring in around $76,280 annually, or roughly $36.67 an hour. Workers at the 75th percentile earn $133,490 a year, about $64.18 an hour. That's a $57,210 gap between the bottom quarter and the top quarter of earners. What drives a worker up that range? Years on the job, specialization, employer type, geography within the state, and the ability to take on supervisory or lead mason roles all play a part.

Experience is the single biggest lever. An apprentice or first- or second-year mason working under a journeyman will typically start somewhere below the 25th percentile while their wages scale up with hours logged. By the time a mason has five to eight years of solid field experience — particularly on commercial pours, restoration work, or high-end residential projects — they're generally pushing toward or past the median. Top earners at the 75th percentile and above tend to be lead masons, those running small crews, or specialists in repointing historic brick, ornamental masonry, or fireplace and chimney construction.

Geography inside Massachusetts matters too. The Greater Boston area — including Boston proper, Cambridge, Somerville, and surrounding metro suburbs — consistently drives higher wage offers because project density is higher and the competition for skilled labor is sharper. Western Massachusetts, including Springfield and Pittsfield, tends to run closer to the lower half of the state range, though a smaller pool of qualified masons can sometimes push wages up on larger projects.

Overtime is a meaningful part of annual earnings for brickmasons, particularly during the warmer months when exterior masonry work peaks. A mason working 10- to 12-hour days through the spring and summer construction season can add tens of thousands of dollars to their base annual figure. Overtime hours are paid at 1.5x the regular rate under federal and Massachusetts law, so a mason earning $45.65 an hour base would earn $68.48 per overtime hour. Stacking even 200 overtime hours in a busy season adds roughly $13,700 on top of the straight-time annual figure.

Some brickmasons in Massachusetts are covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

Massachusetts does not require a state-issued license specifically for brickmasons, but many contractors and public-sector employers expect journeyman credentials earned through a formal apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships typically run three to four years and combine paid on-the-job hours with classroom instruction covering blueprint reading, mortar mixing ratios, structural load considerations, and safety compliance. Completing an apprenticeship puts a worker on a defined wage progression and often opens doors to the higher-paying commercial sector.

A few practical ways to increase earnings: pursue specialty skills like tuckpointing or historical restoration, which command premium rates; get comfortable reading construction drawings so you can step into a lead role; seek out large commercial general contractors whose projects run year-round rather than seasonal residential work; and negotiate your rate at each new job rather than assuming the employer's first offer is the ceiling.

The BLS OEWS figures used on this page represent wage and salary workers and may not fully capture self-employed masons, cash payments on small residential jobs, or the full value of benefit packages — health coverage, retirement contributions, and paid leave — that some employers offer on top of base wages. When comparing offers, always convert total compensation to an hourly figure so you're comparing apples to apples.