How much do cement masons make in Missouri in 2026?

The median cement mason in Missouri earns $61,390 per year, which works out to about $29.51 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the number sitting right in the middle of the wage distribution — half of Missouri's cement masons earn more, half earn less. If you're trying to figure out where you stand or what you should be shooting for, that median is your first benchmark.

The spread across the trade is meaningful. At the 25th percentile, cement masons in Missouri earn $48,370 annually, or roughly $23.25 per hour. These are typically workers newer to the trade, working in lower-wage regions of the state, or logging fewer hours with less specialized work. At the 75th percentile, pay climbs to $73,370 a year — about $35.27 per hour. Workers at that level usually have a decade or more of experience, a reputation for quality flatwork and finishing, and steady access to large commercial or infrastructure jobs.

That gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is over $25,000 a year. In practical terms, that's the difference between a mason who pours residential slabs and one who works finishing floors in a hospital or finishing structural concrete on a bridge deck. Specialty work pays more. Period.

Missouri's construction economy is spread across a wide geography. The St. Louis metro and Kansas City metro are the two heaviest hitters for commercial construction volume. Workers based near those metros typically have access to larger projects, more consistent hours, and better-paying general contractors. Rural and smaller-market areas of Missouri — the Ozarks, southeast Missouri, the northwest corner of the state — tend to see lower wages and more seasonal work patterns. If your goal is to hit the 75th percentile, proximity to major metro job markets is one of the fastest ways to get there without changing trades.

Overtime and seasonal hours matter a lot for cement masons. Concrete work is weather-dependent — pours don't happen well in freezing temperatures, and finishing is sensitive to heat and humidity. That means spring through fall is crunch season in Missouri, and a mason who's willing to work early mornings, weekends, or extended shifts when conditions are right can add meaningful income beyond the base annual figures. The BLS OEWS data that underpins these numbers reflects straight-time wages and does not fully capture overtime or project bonuses, so your actual take-home can run higher during peak seasons.

Experience is the most reliable lever for moving up the pay scale. A mason who can read a grade stake, operate laser levels, and finish decorative or polished concrete commands more than one who only handles standard flatwork. Expanding your skill set into stamped concrete, concrete repair, or post-tension slab work opens doors to specialty contractors who pay above the median. Foreman and crew lead roles also pay more — and in Missouri's construction market, experienced cement masons who can run a crew are in short supply.

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

Licensing for cement masons in Missouri is not handled at the state level for most workers — there is no single statewide journeyman or cement mason license required. However, some municipalities and larger contractors require OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification, and working on public projects may involve prevailing wage requirements that can push hourly rates above what BLS captures in its survey. If you're bidding on or working public projects in Missouri, it's worth confirming the prevailing wage rate for your county, as those rates are set separately from the BLS data shown here.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. BLS collects data from employers, not workers, which means it tends to reflect base pay accurately but may undercount tips, project bonuses, and overtime premium pay.