Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Columbus.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Columbus earn a $73,550 median, 18% above the national figure, and about 430 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 27 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 Columbus.
BLS counts about 8,840 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Columbus metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 3,620). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.15). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Columbus: 430 employed · $73,550 median, 29th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Columbus: 1,000 employed · $64,910 median, 15th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Columbus: 3,620 employed · $66,480 median, 20th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Columbus: 5,420 employed · $82,360 median, 36th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Columbus: 3,290 employed · $78,950 median, 20th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Columbus: 1,570 employed · $79,990 median, 38th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Columbus: 4,000 employed · $105,200 median, 74th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Columbus: 210 employed · $44,290 median, 61st-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Columbus: 290 employed · $72,700 median, 29th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Columbus.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Columbus earn a median $73,550, 18% over the $62,120 national figure, and 29th of 91 metros. Pay runs $47,500 at the tenth percentile to $124,340 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $78,950 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | Columbus median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $73,550 | $47,500–$124,340 | $62,120 | +18% | 430 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $64,910 | $46,620–$84,050 | $57,020 | +14% | 1,000 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $66,480 | $47,270–$82,630 | $60,580 | +10% | 3,620 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $82,360 | $61,010–$113,610 | $79,920 | +3% | 5,420 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $78,950 | $50,610–$99,390 | $59,850 | +32% | 3,290 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $79,990 | $49,440–$128,020 | $78,740 | +2% | 1,570 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $105,200 | $74,800–$165,770 | $114,990 | −9% | 4,000 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $44,290 | $38,510–$65,510 | $46,170 | −4% | 210 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $72,700 | $50,750–$95,950 | $64,950 | +12% | 290 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Columbus 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 Columbus's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Columbus rose from 25 in 2018 to 27 in 2023, up 8%, ahead of the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 10%, to about 414 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $53,029 to $69,413 (+31%), faster than the 23% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Columbus rose from 20 in 2018 to 23 in 2023, up 15%, ahead of the 11% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 33%, to about 593 people. Average annual pay there went from $54,651 to $69,102 (+26%), in step with the 25% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 25 | 27 | +8% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 462 | 414 | −10% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $53,029 | $69,413 | +31% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 20 | 23 | +15% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 447 | 593 | +33% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $54,651 | $69,102 | +26% |
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
Columbus runs 32% 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 Columbus's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Columbus metro had 23 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 593 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $69,102, 7.7% below the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 14.3% over the year, faster than the 5.5% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. That works out to 1.1 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 1.2% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Columbus ranks 41st for headcount, 14th for median pay and 68th 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 Columbus, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Columbus 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 Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Columbus without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Columbus talent.
The closest metro we cover is Dayton, about 65 miles away, with roughly 80 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.2 times Columbus's 430). Cleveland pays the most nearby, a $78,530 median, 7% above Columbus. That is the number any Columbus offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | – | 430 | $73,550 |
| Dayton | 65 mi | 80 | $66,140 |
| Cincinnati | 99 mi | 440 | $70,760 |
| Akron | 110 mi | – | – |
| Cleveland | 126 mi | 560 | $78,530 |
| Pittsburgh | 162 mi | 590 | $76,940 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Columbus crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Columbus in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Meta "Prometheus" data centerMulti-billion, undisclosedCompleting construction in 2026
New Albany campus that will be the world's first data center requiring over 1 gigawatt of power. Massive electrical distribution and mechanical cooling scope, concentrated in a single build.
- Intel Ohio One semiconductor fab$28BUnder construction, multi-year buildout
New Albany chip fab campus - crews have logged 6.4M+ work hours, poured 200,000+ cubic yards of concrete, and installed sub-utility trenches. The single largest private capital project in Ohio history and the anchor of the region's industrial-trades demand.
- Google Central Ohio data center campuses$1.7BOngoing
Three campuses across New Albany, Columbus, and Lancaster. Sustained demand for industrial electricians and mechanical crews with data-center commissioning experience.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Columbus market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Columbus.
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 Columbus.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Columbus?
BLS puts the Columbus median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $73,550 a year, 18% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 29th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. The range is unusually wide: $47,500 at the bottom tenth against $124,340 at the top tenth, a 2.6x gap. Senior people here are priced far above the median. Within Ohio, Cleveland pays more, at $78,530.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Columbus?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 15% more of the Columbus workforce than they do nationally, about 430 people. The 27 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 15 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Columbus?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Columbus, a $105,200 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Pump Operator at $78,950, 25% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $44,290. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (32% above). Project Manager trails national pay the most (9% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Columbus?
BLS counted 27 nonresidential masonry contractors in Columbus in 2023, employing about 414 people between them. Up from 25 in 2018, an 8% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 15 people per location. They pay about the national average of $68,219. BLS counted 23 nonresidential concrete contractors in Columbus in 2023, employing about 593 people between them. Up from 20 in 2018, a 15% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 26 people per location. They pay an average of $69,102, 8% below the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Columbus for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Dayton (65 miles, about 80, $66,140 median), Cincinnati (99 miles, about 440, $70,760 median) and Cleveland (126 miles, about 560, $78,530 median). Cleveland pays 7% more, which is where Columbus employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Columbus 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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