Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Detroit.
Detroit has 74% more brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, about 1,120 in the metro. BLS counts 73 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 Detroit.
BLS counts about 17,280 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Detroit metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 7,610). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.74). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Detroit: 1,120 employed · $62,830 median, 47th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Detroit: 2,350 employed · $62,330 median, 28th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Detroit: 7,610 employed · $65,810 median, 21st-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Detroit: 6,600 employed · $80,610 median, 45th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Detroit: 3,790 employed · $68,130 median, 34th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Detroit: 3,400 employed · $80,200 median, 35th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Detroit: 3,970 employed · $109,890 median, 56th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Detroit: 570 employed · $45,480 median, 52nd-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Detroit: 1,840 employed · $57,220 median, 93rd-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Detroit.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Detroit earn a median $62,830, level with the $62,120 national figure, and 47th of 91 metros. Pay runs $49,180 at the tenth percentile to $93,670 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $68,130 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | Detroit median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $62,830 | $49,180–$93,670 | $62,120 | +1% | 1,120 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $62,330 | $46,460–$77,540 | $57,020 | +9% | 2,350 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $65,810 | $47,560–$82,790 | $60,580 | +9% | 7,610 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $80,610 | $60,310–$124,550 | $79,920 | +1% | 6,600 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $68,130 | $48,300–$93,920 | $59,850 | +14% | 3,790 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $80,200 | $47,640–$130,140 | $78,740 | +2% | 3,400 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $109,890 | $64,160–$179,390 | $114,990 | −4% | 3,970 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $45,480 | $37,020–$59,700 | $46,170 | −1% | 570 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $57,220 | $46,470–$81,990 | $64,950 | −12% | 1,840 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Detroit 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 Detroit's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
Detroit lost nonresidential masonry contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 75 business locations to 73 (down 3%), ahead of the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 6%, to about 922 people. Average annual pay there went from $61,134 to $73,388 (+20%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Detroit rose from 60 in 2018 to 66 in 2023, up 10%, close to the 11% national change.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 75 | 73 | −3% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 983 | 922 | −6% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $61,134 | $73,388 | +20% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 60 | 66 | +10% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | – | 822 | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | – | $84,091 | – |
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
Detroit runs 7% fewer masonry and concrete workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 Detroit's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Detroit metro had 66 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 822 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $84,091, 12.3% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 9.2% 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 4.8%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 1.5 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 1.0% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Detroit ranks 16th for headcount, 27th for median pay and 51st for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 2,350 | $62,330 | 0.93 | 73 |
| Grand Rapids | 1,090 | $59,540 | 1.37 | 15 |
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 Detroit, the pool is about the national norm for its size, so difficulty depends on the role more than the market.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Detroit metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Michigan.
Michigan's only state construction contractor licenses are the Residential Builder license and the Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license issued by LARA under 1980 PA 299. Masonry and concrete are both named trade classifications within the maintenance and alteration license, alongside carpentry, excavation, roofing and others, so a Michigan masonry license does exist but it is limited to residential structures. There is no Michigan license for commercial masonry or concrete work. When hiring, confirm whether the project is residential or commercial, because the license is required for the former and carries no weight as a qualification for the latter. The same state rules apply in Grand Rapids, so candidates licensed there can work in Detroit without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Residential Builder and Maintenance and Alteration Contractor licenses under 1980 PA 299, residential only. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Detroit talent.
The closest metro we cover is Cleveland, about 90 miles away, with roughly 560 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.5 times Detroit's 1,120). Cleveland pays the most nearby, a $78,530 median, 25% above Detroit. That is the number any Detroit offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Detroit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | – | 1,120 | $62,830 |
| Cleveland | 90 mi | 560 | $78,530 |
| Akron | 117 mi | – | – |
| Grand Rapids | 140 mi | 340 | $66,080 |
| Columbus | 164 mi | 430 | $73,550 |
| Dayton | 187 mi | 80 | $66,140 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Detroit crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Detroit in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Gordie Howe International Bridge (Detroit–Windsor)$4.4BOpened July 2026
Largest binational infrastructure project in North America, now complete - historical example of the heavy civil, structural, high-mast electrical, and toll/plaza MEP capacity this metro can deliver, not an active current driver.
- Hudson's Detroit tower + District Detroit~$2.9B combined ($1.4B Hudson's Detroit + $1.5B District Detroit - two separate developers' projects)Phased through 2027
Downtown revival anchor - tallest building in Michigan plus a multi-block mixed-use district. High-rise MEP, curtain wall, and cold-climate envelope work.
- Henry Ford Health "Destination: Grand" tower$2.2BRolling
Henry Ford's own flagship expansion project - this figure belongs to Henry Ford specifically, not a combined Corewell/Henry Ford total. Corewell (formerly Beaumont) has separate, smaller ongoing capital work. Hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas, and process piping - steady multi-year demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Detroit market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Detroit.
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 Detroit.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Detroit?
BLS puts the Detroit median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $62,830 a year, about the same as the $62,120 national median. That ranks 47th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $49,180 and $93,670, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Michigan, Grand Rapids pays more, at $66,080.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Detroit?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 74% more of the Detroit workforce than they do nationally, about 1,120 people. The 73 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 13 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Detroit?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Detroit, a $109,890 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Pump Operator at $68,130, 38% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $45,480. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (14% above). Concrete Testing Technician trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Detroit?
BLS counted 73 nonresidential masonry contractors in Detroit in 2023, employing about 922 people between them. Down from 75 in 2018, a 3% decline against 6% decline nationally. That averages 13 people per location. They pay an average of $73,388, 8% above the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 66 nonresidential concrete contractors in Detroit in 2023, employing about 822 people between them. Up from 60 in 2018, a 10% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 12 people per location. They pay an average of $84,091, 12% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Detroit for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cleveland (90 miles, about 560, $78,530 median), Grand Rapids (140 miles, about 340, $66,080 median) and Columbus (164 miles, about 430, $73,550 median). Cleveland pays 25% more, which is where Detroit employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Detroit 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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