Construction and Extraction Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 47-2021

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

O*NET task statements lead this Brickmasons and Blockmasons card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers, Structural Iron and Steel Workers, Construction and Building Inspectors, Tapers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Brickmasons and Blockmasons: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($110K) , Structural Iron and Steel Workers ($63K) , Construction and Building Inspectors ($75K) , Tapers ($68K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Brickmasons and Blockmasons publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 47-2021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels
  2. 2. Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners…
  3. 3. Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface
  4. 4. Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses
  5. 5. Break or cut bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using trowel edge, hammer, or power saw
  6. 6. Interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications and to calculate the materials required
  7. 7. Remove excess mortar with trowels and hand tools, and finish mortar joints with jointing tools, for a sealed, uniform appearance
  8. 8. Fasten or fuse brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement
  9. 9. Clean working surface to remove scale, dust, soot, or chips of brick and mortar, using broom, wire brush, or scraper
  10. 10. Examine brickwork or structure to determine need for repair
  11. 11. Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, dirt, or mortar powder with water to form refractory mixtures
  12. 12. Lay and align bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures or high temperature equipment, such as cupola, kilns, ovens, or furn…

Brickmasons and Blockmasons: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 47-2021 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.1 ; lead knowledge Building and Construction. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.1
  2. 2. Coordination 3.1
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.0
  4. 4. Speaking 3.0
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.0
  6. 6. Operations Monitoring 3.0
  7. 7. Quality Control Analysis 3.0
  8. 8. Time Management 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Building and Construction 4.8
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.5
  3. 3. English Language 3.3
  4. 4. Public Safety and Security 3.1
  5. 5. Production and Processing 3.1
  6. 6. Design 3.1
National median after O*NET task lead
$62,120
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels
$62K
National median
↑ +3%
Growth 2024-2034
5,600
Annual openings
52,550
Estimated US jobs
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Highest-pay peer · $110K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Brickmasons and Blockmasons

1. Rhode Island $79,280
2. Wisconsin $80,120
3. Hawaii $79,250
4. Massachusetts $94,950
5. Oregon $79,450
6. New York $84,410
7. Minnesota $95,220
8. North Dakota $79,940
9. Washington $83,190
10. Illinois $89,980

Other Construction and Extraction Occupations titles

  1. 1. Construction and Building Inspectors $74,690
  2. 2. Structural Iron and Steel Workers $62,780
  3. 3. Tapers $68,270
  4. 4. Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas $67,890
  5. 5. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators $70,070
  6. 6. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $109,910

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Brickmasons and Blockmasons (SOC 47-2021). The national OEWS median is $62,120 inside Construction and Extraction Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers, Structural Iron and Steel Workers, Construction and Building Inspectors, Tapers. Lead published task: Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.

Employment Projections expect +3% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 5,600 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Rhode Island at $79,280. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers at $109,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Brickmasons and Blockmasons pay-rank #16 in Construction and Extraction Occupations

Among 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations with a published OEWS median, Brickmasons and Blockmasons is pay-rank #16, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 47-2021 · national median $62,120 · upper third of Construction and Extraction Occupations (#16/60). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Brickmasons and Blockmasons salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 47-2021

Rhode Island · top state for Brickmasons and Blockmasons

$79K published median

Wisconsin · #2 state pay

$80K · behind Rhode Island

Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Highest-pay peer vs Brickmasons and Blockmasons · $110K

Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Lower-pay peer beside Brickmasons and Blockmasons · $63K

Compare Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Brickmasons and Blockmasons with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Brickmasons and Blockmasons full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Construction and Extraction Occupations titles sit near Brickmasons and Blockmasons at the top of the pay table? ▼
Brickmasons and Blockmasons is pay-rank #16 of 60 detailed Construction and Extraction Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Continuous Mining Machine Operators ($62K), Sheet Metal Workers ($62K), Structural Iron and Steel Workers ($63K), Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters ($61K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Brickmasons and Blockmasons. Leading ones include: Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels; Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners…; Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface; Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for brickmasons and blockmasons? ▼
For SOC 47-2021, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.1), Coordination (3.1), Active Listening (3.0), Speaking (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Building and Construction, Mathematics, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Brickmasons and Blockmasons? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $62,120 as the national median for Brickmasons and Blockmasons. The published 10th-90th range is $44,820 to $100,010. Beside Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Brickmasons and Blockmasons? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Brickmasons and Blockmasons is +3%. Projected annual openings: about 5,600. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Brickmasons and Blockmasons? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Brickmasons and Blockmasons. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Brickmasons and Blockmasons? ▼
Rhode Island ($79,280), Wisconsin ($80,120), Hawaii ($79,250) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Brickmasons and Blockmasons card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 47-2021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Brickmasons and Blockmasons. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics