Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Des Moines.
Brickmasons and blockmasons are scarcer in Des Moines than in most of the country, 43% fewer per job, so the roughly 80 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 15 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 Des Moines.
BLS counts about 4,150 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Des Moines metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 1,810). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.57). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Des Moines: 80 employed · $75,810 median, 22nd-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Des Moines: 530 employed · $59,700 median, 43rd-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Des Moines: 1,810 employed · $61,360 median, 38th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Des Moines: 2,720 employed · $82,090 median, 39th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Des Moines: 1,260 employed · $62,610 median, 47th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Des Moines: 550 employed · $78,500 median, 52nd-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Des Moines: 1,020 employed · $103,920 median, 77th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Des Moines: 90 employed · $47,400 median, 32nd-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Des Moines: 380 employed · $72,470 median, 31st-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Des Moines.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Des Moines earn a median $75,810, 22% over the $62,120 national figure, and 22nd of 91 metros. Pay runs $52,270 at the tenth percentile to $80,100 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $72,470 against $64,950 nationally.
| Role | Des Moines median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $75,810 | $52,270–$80,100 | $62,120 | +22% | 80 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $59,700 | $45,380–$76,760 | $57,020 | +5% | 530 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $61,360 | $44,560–$76,670 | $60,580 | +1% | 1,810 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $82,090 | $60,380–$103,990 | $79,920 | +3% | 2,720 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $62,610 | $46,710–$82,970 | $59,850 | +5% | 1,260 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $78,500 | $48,940–$121,400 | $78,740 | 0% | 550 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $103,920 | $65,560–$201,450 | $114,990 | −10% | 1,020 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $47,400 | $41,610–$60,640 | $46,170 | +3% | 90 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $72,470 | $46,380–$96,580 | $64,950 | +12% | 380 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Des Moines 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 Des Moines's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Des Moines rose from 12 in 2018 to 15 in 2023, up 25%, ahead of the 6% national decline. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 215. Average annual pay there went from $45,314 to $53,987 (+19%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Des Moines rose from 29 in 2018 to 33 in 2023, up 14%, close to the 11% national change. BLS stops short of publishing headcount and pay for them here, which happens when a handful of firms account for most of the work.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 12 | 15 | +25% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 212 | 215 | +1% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $45,314 | $53,987 | +19% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 29 | 33 | +14% |
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
Des Moines 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 Des Moines's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Des Moines metro had 33 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. That works out to 4.6 per 100,000 residents against 1.9 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Des Moines ranks 64th for headcount, 40th for median pay and 46th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
What this means for hiring:For masonry and concrete employers in Des Moines, 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, Des Moines metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Iowa.
Iowa requires all individual and business construction contractors earning at least two thousand dollars a year to register with the state under Iowa Code chapter 91C, and this covers masonry and concrete firms. The registration is not a trade competency license: it costs fifty dollars, involves no examination, and exists to confirm unemployment insurance and workers compensation compliance, with a twenty-five thousand dollar bond required from out-of-state contractors with employees. Iowa has no masonry or concrete competency license, and plumbing and mechanical are the trades that carry separate state licensing. Verify the registration is active and treat it as a compliance check, not evidence of skill.
Licensing authority: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, contractor registration under Iowa Code ch. 91C and 481 IAC ch. 465. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Des Moines talent.
The closest metro we cover is Omaha, about 125 miles away, with roughly 220 brickmasons and blockmasons (2.8 times Des Moines's 80). Minneapolis pays the most nearby, a $97,960 median, 29% above Des Moines. That is the number any Des Moines offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. St. Louis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | – | 80 | $75,810 |
| Omaha | 123 mi | 220 | $63,870 |
| Kansas City | 180 mi | 500 | $72,370 |
| Minneapolis | 234 mi | 820 | $97,960 |
| Madison | 238 mi | 150 | $82,420 |
| St. Louis | 273 mi | 1,070 | $77,490 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Des Moines crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Des Moines in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Microsoft "Ruthenium" data center$210M+ (part of $6B+ total Microsoft investment in West Des Moines)Construction starting 2026
A 245,000 sq ft first-phase facility housing computer equipment and large-scale web portal services - the latest addition to Microsoft's five existing West Des Moines data center campuses.
- Microsoft Project Ginger West Data Center$1B+Multi-year buildout
A separate ~188-acre campus planned for approximately 1.8 million sq ft of data center space across multiple buildings.
- Weitz data center campusUndisclosed (192-MW capacity)Under construction
A 192-megawatt data center campus in West Des Moines being built for a confidential client.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Des Moines market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Des Moines.
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 Des Moines.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Des Moines?
BLS puts the Des Moines median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $75,810 a year, 22% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 22nd of 91 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $52,270 to $80,100 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Des Moines?
Yes. Des Moines has 43% 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 15 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 14 employees per location. With 25% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Des Moines?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Des Moines, a $103,920 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $75,810, 27% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $47,400. Relative to national pay, Bricklayer / Mason is the strongest-paying role here (22% above). Project Manager trails national pay the most (10% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Des Moines?
BLS counted 15 nonresidential masonry contractors in Des Moines in 2023, employing about 215 people between them. Up from 12 in 2018, a 25% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 14 people per location. They pay an average of $53,987, 21% below the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 33 nonresidential concrete contractors in Des Moines in 2023. Up from 29 in 2018, a 14% 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 Des Moines for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Omaha (123 miles, about 220, $63,870 median), Kansas City (180 miles, about 500, $72,370 median) and Minneapolis (234 miles, about 820, $97,960 median). Omaha has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Minneapolis pays 29% more, which is where Des Moines employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With brickmasons and blockmasons this scarce in Des Moines, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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