How much do brickmasons make in South Carolina in 2026?

Brickmasons in South Carolina earn a median of $49,010 per year, which works out to roughly $23.56 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number sits in the middle of the pack — half of working brickmasons in the state earn more, half earn less. It's a useful anchor, but your actual pay depends on how many years you've been laying brick, what part of the state you work in, and whether you're on commercial or residential jobs.

The bottom quarter of earners — the 25th percentile — take home around $45,450 a year, or about $21.85 an hour. This range typically covers workers who are newer to the trade, still building speed and precision, or working smaller residential projects where the job mix is unpredictable. If you're in your first two or three years, this is a realistic starting point in South Carolina.

Hit the 75th percentile and you're looking at $61,680 annually, or about $29.65 an hour. That's a spread of more than $16,000 between the lower and upper quartiles — real money that reflects the difference between a journeyman who's still finding their footing and one who can lay to line fast, read plans without hand-holding, and handle complex patterns like running bond, Flemish bond, or corbeling. Foreman experience and specialty work — chimneys, arched openings, restoration of historic brick — can push pay toward or above that upper range.

Geography within South Carolina matters. The Charleston metro area has seen sustained commercial and residential construction growth, and that demand tends to pull wages upward compared to more rural parts of the state. Greenville and Columbia also generate steady commercial work. If you're willing to drive or relocate to where the big pours and multi-family projects are happening, you'll often find both higher hourly rates and more consistent hours.

Hours matter as much as the hourly rate. Bricklaying is outdoor work, and South Carolina summers can slow production on exposed sites. On the flip side, the mild winters mean fewer weather shutdowns than northern states, which keeps annual hours — and therefore annual income — more consistent. When project timelines are tight, overtime at 1.5x your base rate adds up quickly. A mason at the median rate who works just 100 overtime hours in a year adds roughly $3,534 to their gross, pushing effective annual pay closer to $52,500.

Apprenticeship is the clearest path from the entry-level range toward the top quartile. A formal bricklaying apprenticeship typically runs three to four years and combines on-the-job hours with classroom instruction in layout, blueprint reading, and materials. Completing an apprenticeship doesn't just teach skills — it signals to commercial contractors that you can be trusted on multi-million-dollar jobs where rework is expensive.

South Carolina does not require a state license specifically for journeyman brickmasons, but contractors taking on projects above certain dollar thresholds must be licensed. If you're thinking about running your own crew or going into business, understanding the state's contractor licensing requirements matters for what work you can legally bid.

Some workers may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

The figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, published May 2025. The BLS data captures base wages reported by employers and does not include overtime earnings, per diem, or benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions. Your total compensation package is worth more than the base wage number alone — factor those in when comparing job offers.