How much do cement masons make in South Carolina in 2026?

The median cement mason in South Carolina earns $49,360 a year, which works out to $23.73 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half the cement masons in the state earn more, half earn less. Where you land depends heavily on your experience, the type of work you're doing, and which part of the state you're working in.

The bottom quarter of earners — typically workers newer to the trade or working fewer hours — come in at $45,210 annually, or roughly $21.74 an hour. That's not a floor to aim for; it's a starting point to move past. Workers who clear the 75th percentile pull in $61,770 per year, about $29.70 an hour. The spread between the 25th and 75th percentile is over $16,500 annually, which tells you there's real money to be gained as you build skill and reputation.

Cement masons handle flatwork, slabs, sidewalks, curbs, and decorative concrete. The work is physically demanding and skill-dependent. A finisher who can read a pour, pull a screed correctly, and trowel a clean surface without burn marks commands better pay than someone who's still learning how to manage timing and texture. Employers notice the difference fast.

South Carolina's construction market is concentrated around a few major metros. The Columbia area, the Charleston metro, and Greenville-Spartanburg are where the bulk of commercial and industrial concrete work happens. Workers in those corridors tend to see steadier work and more competitive rates than those in rural areas where jobs are sporadic and contractors have less reason to compete on wages. If you're mobile, positioning yourself near active commercial construction keeps your hours up and your leverage higher.

Seasonality affects cement masons less severely in South Carolina than in northern states — the climate allows year-round work in most of the state — but summer heat creates its own scheduling challenges. Pours often get pushed to early mornings during peak summer months, which can affect daily hour counts and overall weekly earnings. That said, the relatively mild winters mean fewer forced shutdowns and more consistent annual income than you'd see in states like Michigan or Minnesota.

Overtime is a meaningful pay lever in this trade. At the median hourly rate of $23.73, a single 10-hour overtime day generates roughly $35.60 for the two extra hours at time-and-a-half. Workers on large commercial pours or highway projects often log 50-plus-hour weeks during busy stretches, which can push annual take-home well above what the BLS median suggests. The BLS OEWS figures reflect base wage rates and don't fully capture premium pay from overtime-heavy schedules.

No union scale data is available for cement masons in South Carolina. The state has relatively low union density in construction compared to Mid-Atlantic or Midwest states. Most cement masons here work under direct hire or open-shop contractors. That doesn't mean wages are suppressed — competitive contractors in Charleston and the Upstate have to pay market rates to keep crews — but it does mean pay is more individually negotiated than collectively set.

If you want to push your wages higher, the clearest path is specialization. Decorative concrete — stamped, stained, polished — commands premium rates because fewer finishers do it well. Certified flatwork finishers and workers who can operate laser screeds or power trowel machines efficiently are worth more to contractors than general laborers who've picked up finishing on the side. Getting an ASCC (American Society of Concrete Contractors) certification or completing a structured apprenticeship through a contractor or local training program signals to employers that you've put in the work to level up.

These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 release. They cover wage and salary workers and are the most reliable state-level benchmark available for this trade in South Carolina.