Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids has 67% more brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, about 340 in the metro. 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 Grand Rapids.
BLS counts about 5,650 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Grand Rapids metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 2,840). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.67). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Grand Rapids: 340 employed · $66,080 median, 39th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Grand Rapids: 1,090 employed · $59,540 median, 45th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Grand Rapids: 2,840 employed · $59,000 median, 52nd-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Grand Rapids: 2,490 employed · $75,350 median, 85th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Grand Rapids: 900 employed · $63,850 median, 44th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Grand Rapids: 1,100 employed · $76,030 median, 74th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Grand Rapids: 1,290 employed · $102,370 median, 88th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Grand Rapids: 250 employed · $40,820 median, 74th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Grand Rapids: 230 employed · $57,980 median, 88th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Grand Rapids.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Grand Rapids earn a median $66,080, 6% over the $62,120 national figure, and 39th of 91 metros. Pay runs $49,220 at the tenth percentile to $83,200 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $63,850 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | Grand Rapids median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $66,080 | $49,220–$83,200 | $62,120 | +6% | 340 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $59,540 | $44,830–$74,820 | $57,020 | +4% | 1,090 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $59,000 | $41,680–$75,900 | $60,580 | −3% | 2,840 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $75,350 | $52,470–$113,990 | $79,920 | −6% | 2,490 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $63,850 | $47,060–$84,860 | $59,850 | +7% | 900 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $76,030 | $49,790–$117,320 | $78,740 | −3% | 1,100 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $102,370 | $61,910–$167,650 | $114,990 | −11% | 1,290 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $40,820 | $37,740–$56,810 | $46,170 | −12% | 250 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $57,980 | $40,460–$86,100 | $64,950 | −11% | 230 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
Grand Rapids lost nonresidential masonry contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 17 business locations to 15 (down 12%), behind the 6% national decline. How many people those 15 locations employ is not published: with a category this small, BLS would effectively be reporting individual employers' payrolls. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Grand Rapids rose from 23 in 2018 to 30 in 2023, up 30%, ahead of the 11% national rise.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 17 | 15 | −12% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 327 | – | – |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $53,293 | – | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 23 | 30 | +30% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | – | 538 | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | – | $86,570 | – |
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
Grand Rapids runs 37% 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 Grand Rapids's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Grand Rapids metro had 30 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 538 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $86,570, 15.6% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 3.9% over the year, a little behind the 5.5% national increase. The number of these employers rose 7.1%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 2.8 per 100,000 residents against 1.9 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often. These firms account for 2.0% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Grand Rapids ranks 40th for headcount, 42nd for median pay and 25th 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 Grand Rapids, 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, Grand Rapids 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 Detroit, so candidates licensed there can work in Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids talent.
The closest metro we cover is Milwaukee, about 115 miles away, with roughly 280 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.8 times Grand Rapids's 340). Milwaukee pays the most nearby, a $96,010 median, 45% above Grand Rapids. That is the number any Grand Rapids offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Chicago has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | – | 340 | $66,080 |
| Milwaukee | 113 mi | 280 | $96,010 |
| Chicago | 127 mi | 2,140 | $89,980 |
| Detroit | 140 mi | 1,120 | $62,830 |
| Madison | 189 mi | 150 | $82,420 |
| Indianapolis | 222 mi | 670 | $72,770 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Grand Rapids crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Grand Rapids in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital addition$1.34BConstruction starting summer 2027, complete 2030
780,000 sq ft and 180 rooms added to Butterworth Hospital. Hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction at the anchor of Grand Rapids' "Medical Mile."
- Van Andel Institute Phase II research expansion$178M (completed 2009)Completed 2009 -- not a current project
Wet-lab research space with capacity for 12-15 additional principal investigators. Lab-grade mechanical, electrical, and process-utility construction distinct from hospital work.
- Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital$60MOpening fall 2026
A pediatric rehabilitation hospital built across the street from Mary Free Bed, connected by a pedestrian walkway - adds another hospital-grade construction project to the Medical Mile corridor.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Grand Rapids market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Grand Rapids.
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 Grand Rapids.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Grand Rapids?
BLS puts the Grand Rapids median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $66,080 a year, 6% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 39th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $49,220 and $83,200, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Michigan metro we cover pays more for this work (Detroit: $62,830).
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Grand Rapids?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 67% more of the Grand Rapids workforce than they do nationally, about 340 people. The 30 nonresidential concrete contractors here average about 18 employees per location. There are 12% fewer of those firms than in 2018, so experienced people have fewer local employers to move between.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Grand Rapids?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Grand Rapids, a $102,370 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $66,080, 35% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $40,820. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (7% above). Precast Concrete Technician trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Grand Rapids?
BLS counted 15 nonresidential masonry contractors in Grand Rapids in 2023. Down from 17 in 2018, a 12% decline against 6% decline 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. BLS counted 30 nonresidential concrete contractors in Grand Rapids in 2023, employing about 538 people between them. Up from 23 in 2018, a 30% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 18 people per location. They pay an average of $86,570, 16% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Grand Rapids for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Milwaukee (113 miles, about 280, $96,010 median), Chicago (127 miles, about 2,140, $89,980 median) and Detroit (140 miles, about 1,120, $62,830 median). Chicago has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Milwaukee pays 45% more, which is where Grand Rapids employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Grand Rapids 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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