Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Cincinnati.
Cincinnati has 18% more brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, about 440 in the metro. BLS counts 38 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 Cincinnati.
BLS counts about 10,130 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Cincinnati metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 4,610). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.18). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Cincinnati: 440 employed · $70,760 median, 33rd-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Cincinnati: 1,410 employed · $62,990 median, 21st-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Cincinnati: 4,610 employed · $60,110 median, 46th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Cincinnati: 4,730 employed · $80,520 median, 48th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Cincinnati: 3,120 employed · $66,950 median, 35th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Cincinnati: 1,630 employed · $79,130 median, 44th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Cincinnati: 3,050 employed · $104,710 median, 76th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Cincinnati: 160 employed · $49,110 median, 20th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Cincinnati: 390 employed · $68,270 median, 37th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Cincinnati.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Cincinnati earn a median $70,760, 14% over the $62,120 national figure, and 33rd of 91 metros. Pay runs $45,860 at the tenth percentile to $84,290 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $68,270 against $64,950 nationally.
| Role | Cincinnati median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $70,760 | $45,860–$84,290 | $62,120 | +14% | 440 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $62,990 | $44,920–$79,840 | $57,020 | +10% | 1,410 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $60,110 | $44,180–$79,750 | $60,580 | −1% | 4,610 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $80,520 | $57,820–$105,440 | $79,920 | +1% | 4,730 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $66,950 | $47,210–$99,500 | $59,850 | +12% | 3,120 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $79,130 | $50,800–$126,230 | $78,740 | 0% | 1,630 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $104,710 | $68,940–$164,310 | $114,990 | −9% | 3,050 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $49,110 | $39,500–$80,820 | $46,170 | +6% | 160 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $68,270 | $47,680–$94,890 | $64,950 | +5% | 390 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
Cincinnati lost nonresidential masonry contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 40 business locations to 38 (down 5%), close to the 6% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 11%, to about 599 people, so fewer firms are employing more people each. Average annual pay there went from $56,587 to $61,215 (+8%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Cincinnati rose from 38 in 2018 to 45 in 2023, up 18%, ahead of the 11% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 22%, to about 1,551 people. Average annual pay there went from $63,807 to $83,355 (+31%), faster than the 25% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 40 | 38 | −5% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 541 | 599 | +11% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $56,587 | $61,215 | +8% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 38 | 45 | +18% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 1,269 | 1,551 | +22% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $63,807 | $83,355 | +31% |
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
Cincinnati sits at about the national rate for masonry and concrete — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
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 Cincinnati's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Cincinnati metro had 45 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 1,551 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $83,355, 11.3% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 11.3% over the year, faster than the 5.5% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. The number of these employers rose 7.1%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 2.0 per 100,000 residents, close to the 1.9 national rate.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Cincinnati ranks 31st for headcount, 20th for median pay and 48th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | 1,410 | $62,990 | 0.97 | 38 |
| Columbus | 1,000 | $64,910 | 0.68 | 27 |
| Cleveland | 900 | $66,080 | 0.66 | 42 |
| Akron | 390 | $63,850 | 0.91 | 15 |
| Dayton | 260 | $62,580 | 0.53 | 6 |
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 Cincinnati, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Cincinnati metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Ohio.
Ohio's state board licenses commercial contractors in only five trades: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration. Masonry, concrete and insulation are not among the state-licensed trades. The same state rules apply in Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Cincinnati without re-qualifying. The Cincinnati metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a masonry & concrete search in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Junior Project ManagerA licensed architect placed into a project management seat after the firm lost its PM mid-project.
- Special Projects Sheet Metal TechnicianAn early-career sheet metal technician placed with onboarding support built into the plan.
Nearby markets competing for Cincinnati talent.
The closest metro we cover is Dayton, about 45 miles away, with roughly 80 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.2 times Cincinnati's 440). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $61,100 in Louisville to $73,550 in Columbus, against $70,760 here. Indianapolis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | – | 440 | $70,760 |
| Dayton | 47 mi | 80 | $66,140 |
| Louisville | 90 mi | 280 | $61,100 |
| Indianapolis | 98 mi | 670 | $72,770 |
| Columbus | 99 mi | 430 | $73,550 |
| Akron | 208 mi | – | – |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Cincinnati crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Cincinnati in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project$4.4B (up from $3.6B estimate)Construction began early 2026, broke ground May 2026
Transforms an eight-mile stretch of I-71 and I-75 across the Ohio River, adding a double-decker cable-stayed companion bridge. The defining heavy civil program of the Midwest - structural steel, cable-stay specialty work, and multi-year sustained demand for bridge-experienced field leadership.
- ODOT statewide 2026 construction program~$3.5B statewide2026 season
More than 4,500 miles of roadway and over 700 bridges statewide. Cincinnati draws a meaningful share, and it competes with Brent Spence for the same operators and heavy civil supervision.
- Riverfront and stadium district reinvestmentPhased public-private2025-2028
Stadium renovation and riverfront development on both sides of the river. Mid-market vertical and specialty finish demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Cincinnati market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Cincinnati.
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 Cincinnati.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Cincinnati?
BLS puts the Cincinnati median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $70,760 a year, 14% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 33rd of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $45,860 and $84,290, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Ohio, Cleveland pays more, at $78,530.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Cincinnati?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 18% more of the Cincinnati workforce than they do nationally, about 440 people. The 38 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 16 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Cincinnati?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Cincinnati, a $104,710 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $70,760, 32% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $49,110. Relative to national pay, Bricklayer / Mason is the strongest-paying role here (14% above). Project Manager trails national pay the most (9% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Cincinnati?
BLS counted 38 nonresidential masonry contractors in Cincinnati in 2023, employing about 599 people between them. Down from 40 in 2018, a 5% decline against 6% decline nationally. That averages 16 people per location. They pay an average of $61,215, 10% below the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 45 nonresidential concrete contractors in Cincinnati in 2023, employing about 1,551 people between them. Up from 38 in 2018, a 18% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 34 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $83,355, 11% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Cincinnati for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Dayton (47 miles, about 80, $66,140 median), Louisville (90 miles, about 280, $61,100 median) and Indianapolis (98 miles, about 670, $72,770 median). Indianapolis has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Cincinnati out-pays Dayton and Louisville, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Cincinnati 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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