How much do brickmasons make in Virginia in 2026?

The median brickmason in Virginia earns $54,680 a year, which works out to roughly $26.29 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, and it represents the middle of the pack — half of Virginia brickmasons earn more, half earn less.

The full spread tells a sharper story. At the 25th percentile, brickmasons bring in $46,550 annually, or about $22.38 an hour. These are typically workers earlier in their careers, those with fewer years on specific masonry systems, or workers in areas with lighter commercial construction activity. At the 75th percentile, pay climbs to $60,630 a year — around $29.15 an hour. Workers at that level usually have a decade or more of experience, a reputation for clean, fast work, and consistent access to larger commercial or institutional projects.

The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is roughly $14,080 a year. That spread is not random. It reflects real differences in skill, speed, and the types of jobs a mason can land. A worker who can read complex architectural drawings, set complex coursing patterns, lay specialty brick or natural stone, and work with minimal supervision commands more per hour than someone still building those skills.

Geography within Virginia matters more than many workers expect. The Northern Virginia corridor — Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William counties — sits adjacent to the Washington, D.C. metro area, one of the country's most active construction markets. Brickmasons working on government buildings, mixed-use developments, and high-end residential projects in that region generally see wages toward the upper end of the state range or beyond it. Richmond's commercial growth and the Hampton Roads shipyard and military construction market also generate steady masonry work, though wage levels vary by project type and contractor.

Seasonality is a real factor in Virginia. Masonry work slows during hard freezes because mortar cannot be laid below certain temperatures without costly cold-weather protection measures. Workers who stack hours in spring through fall — and who are willing to take overtime when available — can pull their annual earnings well above the BLS figures, which reflect straight-time wages. A mason averaging even 5–10 hours of overtime per week during a busy season adds thousands of dollars to their annual take-home.

Apprenticeship is the standard path into this trade. A typical brickmason apprenticeship runs three to four years and combines on-the-job hours with classroom instruction covering blueprint reading, mortar mixing ratios, structural coursing, and safety. Apprentice pay starts below the figures listed here and steps up on a scheduled scale until journey-level certification. Completing an apprenticeship is one of the most direct ways to reach the median wage quickly and credibly.

Specialty work is the clearest path to the 75th percentile and beyond. Restoration masonry — repointing historic brick, matching original mortar profiles, repairing ornate terra cotta — requires skills that take years to develop and commands premium rates. Fireplace and chimney construction, natural stone veneer work, and tuckpointing on commercial buildings are similarly specialized. Masons who invest time in learning these niches position themselves for the highest-paying work in the state.

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

The BLS figures used here are employer-reported and capture base wages only. They do not include the value of employer-paid health insurance, pension or retirement contributions, paid time off, or per-diem travel pay — all of which can meaningfully increase total compensation for workers on larger commercial projects or union agreements. Keep that in mind when comparing these numbers to an offer that includes a full benefits package.