Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving El Paso.
Brickmasons and blockmasons are scarcer in El Paso than in most of the country, 44% fewer per job, so the roughly 60 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 4 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 El Paso.
BLS counts about 2,460 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the El Paso metro, the largest group being operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (about 980). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.56). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
El Paso: 60 employed · $48,940 median, 83rd-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
El Paso: 570 employed · $41,940 median, 109th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
El Paso: 620 employed · $42,430 median, 111th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
El Paso: 1,380 employed · $62,870 median, 108th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
El Paso: 980 employed · $45,630 median, 111th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
El Paso: 410 employed · $60,880 median, 111th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
El Paso: 1,000 employed · $84,030 median, 110th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
El Paso: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Concrete Testing Technician
El Paso: 230 employed · $50,730 median, 104th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in El Paso.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in El Paso earn a median $48,940, 21% under the $62,120 national figure, and 83rd of 91 metros. Pay runs $32,000 at the tenth percentile to $53,320 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $50,730 against $64,950 nationally. BLS withholds El Paso pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | El Paso median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $48,940 | $32,000–$53,320 | $62,120 | −21% | 60 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $41,940 | $34,280–$48,960 | $57,020 | −26% | 570 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $42,430 | $33,440–$58,470 | $60,580 | −30% | 620 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $62,870 | $46,010–$89,980 | $79,920 | −21% | 1,380 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $45,630 | $34,840–$61,530 | $59,850 | −24% | 980 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $60,880 | $35,340–$99,930 | $78,740 | −23% | 410 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $84,030 | $57,270–$137,990 | $114,990 | −27% | 1,000 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | – | – | $46,170 | – | – |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $50,730 | $38,580–$74,970 | $64,950 | −22% | 230 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, El Paso 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 El Paso's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
El Paso had 4 nonresidential masonry contractors in 2023, exactly as many as in 2018. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. El Paso lost nonresidential concrete contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 29 business locations to 23 (down 21%), behind the 11% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 19%, to about 509 people. Average annual pay there went from $32,743 to $48,556 (+48%), faster than the 25% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 4 | 4 | +0% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | – | 55 | – |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | – | $37,096 | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 29 | 23 | −21% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 631 | 509 | −19% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $32,743 | $48,556 | +48% |
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
El Paso runs 26% more masonry and concrete workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 El Paso's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the El Paso metro had 23 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 509 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $48,556, 35.1% below the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 13.4% 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 fell 11.5%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 2.6 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, El Paso ranks 60th for headcount, 98th for median pay and 31st for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers. Pay here is among the lowest we see, which makes relocation offers from higher-paying metros a real retention risk.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 7,920 | $48,770 | 1.48 | 98 |
| Houston | 7,700 | $46,600 | 1.76 | 72 |
| Austin | 2,650 | $49,410 | 1.54 | 36 |
| San Antonio | 1,960 | $47,010 | 1.32 | 29 |
| El Paso | 570 | $41,940 | 1.26 | 4 |
| McAllen | 390 | $38,620 | 1.00 | 2 |
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 El Paso, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, El Paso metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Texas.
Texas has no state general contractor license and no masonry or concrete contractor license. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's list of regulated programs includes air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, electricians and water well drillers, but nothing covering general building, masonry or concrete work. Masonry and concrete firms are therefore regulated only through local permitting and any registration a particular city requires, so the check belongs with the building department for the city where the project sits. When hiring, focus on insurance, bonding, workers compensation status and documented project history rather than a state license number, because none exists. The same state rules apply in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and McAllen, so candidates licensed there can work in El Paso without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; regulated locally through city and county building departments. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for El Paso talent.
The closest metro we cover is Albuquerque, about 230 miles away, with roughly 180 brickmasons and blockmasons (3.0 times El Paso's 60). Tucson pays the most nearby, a $55,310 median, 13% above El Paso. That is the number any El Paso offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Albuquerque has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | – | 60 | $48,940 |
| Albuquerque | 230 mi | 180 | $43,910 |
| Tucson | 262 mi | 120 | $55,310 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for El Paso crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into El Paso in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Artcraft interchange/flyover$244MTxDOT/Sundt, completion 2030
A major freeway interchange conversion on the west side - sustained heavy-civil and paving demand for years.
- Meta data center (Northeast El Paso)$14B (up from initial $1.5B; Meta has since sold an 80% stake to BlackRock)Power infrastructure online by 2027
813 modular gas generators delivering 366MW ($473M alone), plus the broader hyperscale data center campus. About 4,000 construction workers expected on-site at peak - the single largest capital project in this metro's history.
- El Paso VA Health Care Center (Fort Bliss)$620M+Broke ground 2024, completion now August 2029
A 492,000 sq ft medical center serving 54,000 veterans with outpatient, mental health, primary care, ambulatory care, and ancillary services.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The El Paso market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in El Paso.
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 El Paso.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in El Paso?
BLS puts the El Paso median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $48,940 a year, 21% below the $62,120 national median. That ranks 83rd of 91 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $32,000 and $53,320, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Texas, Austin pays more, at $60,270.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in El Paso?
Yes. El Paso has 44% fewer brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, roughly 60 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 4 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 14 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in El Paso?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in El Paso, a $84,030 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Testing Technician at $50,730, 40% below it. Concrete Finisher is the lowest-paid field role at $41,940. Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter trails national pay the most (30% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in El Paso?
BLS counted 4 nonresidential masonry contractors in El Paso in 2023, employing about 55 people between them. That is roughly where the count stood in 2018 (4). That averages 14 people per location. They pay an average of $37,096, 46% below the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 23 nonresidential concrete contractors in El Paso in 2023, employing about 509 people between them. Down from 29 in 2018, a 21% decline against 11% growth nationally. That averages 22 people per location. They pay an average of $48,556, 35% below the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with El Paso for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Albuquerque (230 miles, about 180, $43,910 median) and Tucson (262 miles, about 120, $55,310 median). Albuquerque has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Tucson pays 13% more, which is where El Paso employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With brickmasons and blockmasons this scarce in El Paso, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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