Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Chicago.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Chicago earn a $89,980 median, 45% above the national figure, and about 2,140 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 145 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 Chicago.
BLS counts about 31,150 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Chicago metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 14,220). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.40). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Chicago: 2,140 employed · $89,980 median, 6th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Chicago: 3,890 employed · $81,020 median, 2nd-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Chicago: 14,220 employed · $80,440 median, 4th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Chicago: 13,420 employed · $111,260 median, 5th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Chicago: 7,930 employed · $103,100 median, 5th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Chicago: 4,610 employed · $83,640 median, 16th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Chicago: 13,850 employed · $117,280 median, 44th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Chicago: 720 employed · $46,650 median, 39th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Chicago: 2,250 employed · $81,360 median, 10th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Chicago.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Chicago earn a median $89,980, 45% over the $62,120 national figure, and 6th of 91 metros. Pay runs $46,960 at the tenth percentile to $109,870 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $103,100 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | Chicago median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $89,980 | $46,960–$109,870 | $62,120 | +45% | 2,140 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $81,020 | $50,730–$108,890 | $57,020 | +42% | 3,890 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $80,440 | $41,220–$118,450 | $60,580 | +33% | 14,220 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $111,260 | $66,450–$135,240 | $79,920 | +39% | 13,420 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $103,100 | $58,060–$124,160 | $59,850 | +72% | 7,930 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $83,640 | $50,720–$139,460 | $78,740 | +6% | 4,610 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $117,280 | $55,500–$178,140 | $114,990 | +2% | 13,850 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $46,650 | $35,380–$61,270 | $46,170 | +1% | 720 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $81,360 | $51,940–$126,520 | $64,950 | +25% | 2,250 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Chicago 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 Chicago's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Chicago rose from 144 in 2018 to 145 in 2023, up 1%, ahead of the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went up 3%, to about 2,308 people. Average annual pay there went from $80,884 to $91,546 (+13%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Chicago rose from 99 in 2018 to 107 in 2023, up 8%, behind the 11% growth nationally. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Chicago, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 144 | 145 | +1% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 2,249 | 2,308 | +3% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $80,884 | $91,546 | +13% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 99 | 107 | +8% |
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
Chicago runs 35% 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 Chicago's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Chicago metro had 107 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. The number of these employers rose 4.9%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 1.2 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.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Chicago ranks 7th for headcount, 1st for median pay and 75th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers. Pay here is among the highest we see, so offers need to start near the top of the range.
What this means for hiring:For masonry and concrete employers in Chicago, the headline number is misleading. About 3,890 cement masons and concrete finishers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers are still adding headcount, which keeps competition for experienced people high. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Chicago metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Illinois.
Illinois issues no statewide general, masonry or concrete contractor license, and roofing is the only construction trade licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. In Chicago the Department of Buildings licenses general contractors in five classes under Municipal Code Chapter 4-36, running from Class E for projects up to five hundred thousand dollars with no demolition, through Class C and B, to Class A for unlimited project value with complex demolition, each with its own insurance minimum. A license is needed to bid or undertake any work requiring a Department of Buildings permit. When hiring a masonry or concrete firm for Chicago work, confirm the license class is high enough for the project value and that insurance is at the class minimum. The Chicago metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; regulated locally, for example the Chicago Department of Buildings under Municipal Code Chapter 4-36. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a masonry & concrete search in Chicago yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Chicago than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Commercial Construction Project ManagerA Project Director-level background placed into a PM seat inside a week.
- Service Dispatch CoordinatorA dispatcher who already knows the trade, the software and the workflow.
- Lead HVAC TechnicianNATE, EPA Universal and Heat Pump Council certified, with VRF and VRV experience.
Nearby markets competing for Chicago talent.
The closest metro we cover is Milwaukee, about 85 miles away, with roughly 280 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.1 times Chicago's 2,140). Milwaukee pays the most nearby, a $96,010 median, 7% above Chicago. That is the number any Chicago offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Chicago is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | – | 2,140 | $89,980 |
| Milwaukee | 83 mi | 280 | $96,010 |
| Madison | 123 mi | 150 | $82,420 |
| Grand Rapids | 127 mi | 340 | $66,080 |
| Indianapolis | 164 mi | 670 | $72,770 |
| Dayton | 231 mi | 80 | $66,140 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Chicago crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Chicago in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- O'Hare Global Terminal expansion$12.1BThrough 2030
Largest airport terminal project in US. Airport-grade MEP, baggage systems, central utility plant. Multi-year demand for senior airport-experienced trades.
- The 78 development (South Loop)$8B+Phased through 2040
62-acre mixed-use development adjacent to downtown. University of Illinois withdrew its planned Discovery Partners Institute biotech campus from the site in 2024-2025; the broader mixed-use build-out continues under new anchor plans.
- Microsoft data center expansion (suburban Chicago)$123M Elk Grove Village campus + $41.5M Hoffman Estates land acquisition (real, itemized figures - not a verified $3B+ regional aggregate)Rolling
Chicagoland is a growing data center market. Mechanical PMs with cooling specialty + electrical crews in demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Chicago market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Chicago.
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 Chicago.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Chicago?
BLS puts the Chicago median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $89,980 a year, 45% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 6th of 91 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. The range is unusually wide: $46,960 at the bottom tenth against $109,870 at the top tenth, a 2.3x gap. Senior people here are priced far above the median.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Chicago?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 40% more of the Chicago workforce than they do nationally, about 2,140 people. The 145 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 16 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Chicago?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Chicago, a $117,280 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Pump Operator at $103,100, 12% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $46,650. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (72% above).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Chicago?
BLS counted 145 nonresidential masonry contractors in Chicago in 2023, employing about 2,308 people between them. That is roughly where the count stood in 2018 (144). That averages 16 people per location. They pay an average of $91,546, 34% above the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 107 nonresidential concrete contractors in Chicago in 2023. Up from 99 in 2018, a 8% increase against 11% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers.
Which nearby metros compete with Chicago for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Milwaukee (83 miles, about 280, $96,010 median), Madison (123 miles, about 150, $82,420 median) and Grand Rapids (127 miles, about 340, $66,080 median). Milwaukee pays 7% more, which is where Chicago employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Chicago has one of the deeper pools of brickmasons and blockmasons we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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