Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Albany.
Brickmasons and blockmasons are scarcer in Albany than in most of the country, 48% fewer per job, so the roughly 80 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 17 business locations of nonresidential masonry contractors across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Albany.
BLS counts about 3,650 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Albany metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 2,000). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.52). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Albany: 80 employed · $76,890 median, 18th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Albany: 330 employed · $62,980 median, 22nd-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Albany: 2,000 employed · $60,720 median, 42nd-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Albany: 1,840 employed · $83,750 median, 28th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Albany: 1,000 employed · $82,540 median, 14th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Albany: 620 employed · $81,290 median, 29th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Albany: 570 employed · $130,980 median, 13th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Albany: 50 employed · $54,500 median, 10th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Albany: 190 employed · $74,840 median, 24th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Albany.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Albany earn a median $76,890, 24% over the $62,120 national figure, and 18th of 91 metros. Pay runs $42,140 at the tenth percentile to $125,200 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $82,540 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | Albany median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $76,890 | $42,140–$125,200 | $62,120 | +24% | 80 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $62,980 | $48,500–$89,770 | $57,020 | +10% | 330 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $60,720 | $48,260–$91,470 | $60,580 | 0% | 2,000 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $83,750 | $60,440–$126,710 | $79,920 | +5% | 1,840 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $82,540 | $51,020–$128,950 | $59,850 | +38% | 1,000 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,290 | $49,470–$130,060 | $78,740 | +3% | 620 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $130,980 | $79,020–$219,090 | $114,990 | +14% | 570 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $54,500 | $39,020–$64,420 | $46,170 | +18% | 50 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $74,840 | $51,240–$87,020 | $64,950 | +15% | 190 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Albany metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Albany's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Albany rose from 14 in 2018 to 17 in 2023, up 21%, ahead of the 6% national decline. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Albany rose from 6 in 2018 to 8 in 2023, up 33%, ahead of the 11% national rise. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. Headcount at those firms went up 78%, to about 182 people. Average annual pay there went from $74,224 to $83,173 (+12%), slower than the 25% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 14 | 17 | +21% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | – | 96 | – |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | – | $73,107 | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 6 | 8 | +33% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 102 | 182 | +78% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $74,224 | $83,173 | +12% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Masonry & Concrete hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Masonry & Concrete · 2026 Masonry & Concrete Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Masonry & Concrete
Albany runs 44% fewer masonry and concrete workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Albany's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Albany metro had 8 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 182 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $83,173, 11.1% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 3.7% over the year even as it grew 5.5% nationally, which usually means people leaving the trade or moving to other markets rather than a lack of work. That works out to 0.9 per 100,000 residents against 1.9 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro. These firms account for 0.9% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Albany ranks 79th for headcount, 21st for median pay and 83rd for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 8,390 | $65,670 | 0.67 | 328 |
| Buffalo | 470 | $62,640 | 0.66 | 23 |
| Albany | 330 | $62,980 | 0.56 | 17 |
| Rochester | 290 | $62,370 | 0.44 | 24 |
| Syracuse | 220 | $61,550 | 0.55 | 24 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For masonry and concrete employers in Albany, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Albany metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in New York.
New York State does not license general, masonry or concrete contractors; the Department of State Division of Licensing Services covers real estate, notaries, security guards and appearance trades, with no construction contracting category. New York City licensing runs through the Department of Buildings, which issues a General Contractor Registration along with roughly two dozen other credentials. There is no New York City masonry license, though concrete work touches two Department of Buildings credentials, the Concrete Safety Manager and the Concrete Testing Laboratory approval. Outside New York City, check the county or municipal consumer affairs or building department, since requirements vary by jurisdiction. The same state rules apply in New York, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, so candidates licensed there can work in Albany without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; regulated locally, for example the New York City Department of Buildings. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Albany talent.
The closest metro we cover is Hartford, about 80 miles away, with roughly 270 brickmasons and blockmasons (3.4 times Albany's 80). Hartford pays the most nearby, a $87,520 median, 14% above Albany. That is the number any Albany offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Hartford has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | – | 80 | $76,890 |
| Hartford | 82 mi | 270 | $87,520 |
| Worcester | 103 mi | 140 | $76,930 |
| Bridgeport | 106 mi | – | $58,790 |
| Syracuse | 124 mi | 180 | $73,880 |
| Scranton | 130 mi | – | – |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Albany crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Albany in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- NY DOT 2026 paving program$600M+ statewide (180+ projects)2026 construction season
The largest NYSDOT paving investment in state history, with Capital Region roadways included - sustained heavy-civil demand.
- GlobalFoundries Fab 8 expansion (Malta)$11.6B (plus $575M packaging/testing + $186M R&D)Began 2025, multi-year buildout
A new 358,000 sq ft semiconductor manufacturing facility on GlobalFoundries' existing Malta campus, creating 1,500+ direct jobs plus thousands of indirect jobs - the anchor of the region's two-decade-old chip cluster.
- Albany NanoTech High NA EUV Lithography Center$10B partnershipUnder construction
The first and only publicly-owned High NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Center in North America, at NY CREATES' Albany NanoTech Complex - cutting-edge semiconductor R&D infrastructure.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Albany market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Albany.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end a masonry & concrete offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Masonry & Concrete credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Masonry & Concrete hiring in Albany.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Albany?
BLS puts the Albany median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $76,890 a year, 24% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 18th of 91 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. The range is unusually wide: $42,140 at the bottom tenth against $125,200 at the top tenth, a 3.0x gap. Senior people here are priced far above the median. Within New York, New York pays more, at $92,300.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Albany?
Yes. Albany has 48% fewer brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, roughly 80 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 17 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 5.6 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 21% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Albany?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Albany, a $130,980 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Pump Operator at $82,540, 37% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $54,500. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (38% above).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Albany?
BLS counted 17 nonresidential masonry contractors in Albany in 2023, employing about 96 people between them. Up from 14 in 2018, a 21% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 5.6 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $73,107, 7% above the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 8 nonresidential concrete contractors in Albany in 2023, employing about 182 people between them. Up from 6 in 2018, a 33% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 23 people per location. They pay an average of $83,173, 11% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Albany for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Hartford (82 miles, about 270, $87,520 median), Worcester (103 miles, about 140, $76,930 median) and Bridgeport (106 miles, $58,790 median). Hartford has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Hartford pays 14% more, which is where Albany employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With brickmasons and blockmasons this scarce in Albany, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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