How much do cement masons make in Pennsylvania in 2026?

The median cement mason in Pennsylvania earns $61,610 a year, which works out to about $29.62 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of cement masons in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working in a slower market, expect to land closer to the 25th percentile at $50,050 a year ($24.06/hr). Experienced masons with a solid book of commercial and industrial work tend to hit the 75th percentile at $69,050 a year ($33.20/hr).

These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, published May 2025. The BLS collects data from employer payroll records, so the numbers reflect base wages actually paid — not posted job listings or self-reported surveys.

The spread between the 25th and 75th percentile is about $19,000 a year, or roughly $9 an hour. That gap is real and it's driven by a handful of concrete factors: years of experience, the type of work you do, where in Pennsylvania you're working, and whether your employer runs large commercial or public-works jobs versus smaller residential pours.

Experience moves the needle faster than almost anything else in this trade. A mason three years in who can read plans, set forms precisely, and finish flatwork to spec without supervision is worth more than one still learning to control a bull float. Contractors running DOT or municipal concrete work pay better than residential flatwork shops, in part because the specs are tighter and the liability is higher. If you can do decorative concrete, polished floors, or trowel-applied overlays, that's a specialty skill set that pushes pay toward or past the 75th percentile.

Geography within Pennsylvania matters. The Philadelphia metro and its surrounding counties — Chester, Montgomery, Bucks — generate heavy commercial construction volume. Pittsburgh's Allegheny County runs a steady pipeline of infrastructure and institutional work. Masons working those markets typically see stronger wages and more consistent hours than those working in rural central Pennsylvania or smaller secondary cities. Travel pay, per diem, and prevailing wage rates on public projects can also add meaningfully to annual take-home, none of which shows up cleanly in the BLS base wage figures.

Overtime is a real factor. Cement work is weather-dependent and deadline-driven — when conditions are right and the slab has to go down, the hours stack up. Masons regularly log 50- and 60-hour weeks during peak season, which runs roughly April through November in Pennsylvania. Federal overtime law requires time-and-a-half past 40 hours for non-exempt workers. A mason at the median rate of $29.62/hr earns $44.43/hr in overtime — a week with 10 OT hours adds about $444 gross on top of the base week. That can push effective annual earnings noticeably above the BLS figure, which is based on straight-time equivalent rates.

Prevailing wage jobs are worth singling out. Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act covers state-funded public works projects above a certain dollar threshold. Cement mason prevailing wage rates are set county by county and can run higher than market rates for private work. If your employer bids public work — roads, bridges, public buildings — ask specifically whether the job is a prevailing wage job, because the classification and rate matter to your paycheck.

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

To move your pay up, the clearest paths are accumulating years on larger commercial jobs, getting comfortable with a wider range of finishing work, and positioning yourself with contractors who consistently bid public or heavy commercial projects. Concrete flatwork certifications through the American Concrete Institute (ACI) signal competence to contractors and owners and can support a case for higher pay. Foreman and general foreman roles add supervisory pay on top of journeyman rates once you've built out your experience.

The BLS figures here capture a snapshot of wages paid at one point in time. They don't capture overtime, bonuses, per diem, or fringe benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions, all of which add real value to a compensation package. Use $61,610 as your anchor for base pay comparisons, but factor in the full picture when you're weighing job offers.