How much do cement masons make in Massachusetts in 2026?

The median cement mason in Massachusetts earns $63,840 per year, or about $30.69 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half the state's cement masons earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or still building hours, the 25th percentile sits at $55,880 annually (~$26.87/hr). Workers with solid experience and a proven track record push into the 75th percentile at $78,210 per year (~$37.60/hr). These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

That $22,330 gap between the bottom and top quartile is significant. It tells you this isn't a trade where everyone lands at the same number — skill, tenure, and the type of work you take on all push wages meaningfully in either direction.

Cement masons in Massachusetts work on everything from residential flatwork and decorative concrete to large commercial pours, highway infrastructure, and industrial flooring. The Boston metro area — including Cambridge, Quincy, and the inner suburbs — tends to pull wages toward the higher end of the range. Major commercial and public construction projects concentrated there create steady demand and longer-run work that supports higher annual earnings. Worcester and Springfield markets are active too, though rates can run somewhat lower than Greater Boston.

Seasonality matters in this trade more than in most. Massachusetts winters regularly interrupt outdoor concrete work from December through March. Masons who line up indoor work — warehouse floors, parking structures, commercial interiors — during cold months maintain steadier annual hours. Those who work primarily outdoor residential jobs may see their effective annual earnings fall below what the hourly rate alone suggests, simply because billable hours drop off in winter.

Overtime is a real lever. On a large commercial pour or an infrastructure job with a hard deadline, 50- to 55-hour weeks are common during the peak season. At $30.69/hr median and time-and-a-half for hours beyond 40, a mason putting in consistent overtime from April through November can realistically push annual gross well past the 75th percentile figure.

Experience progression is the most reliable way to move up the range. Entry-level workers typically start below the 25th percentile while they're completing an apprenticeship or building hours under a journeyman. After three to five years of hands-on work — including decorative and stamped concrete, vertical work, or light commercial flatwork — a mason can reasonably expect to reach or exceed the median. Specializations like polished concrete, epoxy overlay systems, and structural concrete repair command premium rates because fewer workers have those skills.

Apprenticeship is the standard entry path. Programs typically run three to four years and combine on-the-job hours with classroom instruction covering concrete chemistry, finishing techniques, form setting, and safety. Completing a registered apprenticeship in Massachusetts makes you more attractive to larger contractors who require documented training, and it tends to accelerate the move past that 25th percentile floor.

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

The BLS OEWS data captures base wages well but does not include overtime pay, per diem allowances, or employer contributions to health and retirement benefits. On jobs that offer benefits packages, the total compensation picture is more favorable than the wage numbers alone suggest. Self-employed cement masons who take on their own residential contracts may earn more per hour on paper, but they carry overhead costs, insurance, and the risk of slower periods that employees don't absorb directly.

If your goal is to move from the median toward the 75th percentile, the clearest paths are: adding specialized finishing skills, pursuing larger commercial contractors who pay scale wages, building a reputation for consistent quality on flatwork and structural pours, and keeping your hours up through winter by targeting indoor projects. Massachusetts has no shortage of construction activity, and skilled masons with a clean record and reliable availability are in genuine demand across the state.