Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Lancaster.
Lancaster has 311% more brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, about 350 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 Lancaster.
BLS counts about 4,710 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Lancaster metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 2,750). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 4.11). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Lancaster: 350 employed · $63,430 median, 44th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Lancaster: 470 employed · $59,800 median, 42nd-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Lancaster: 2,750 employed · $55,690 median, 60th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Lancaster: 1,630 employed · $76,300 median, 76th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Lancaster: 1,010 employed · $61,340 median, 53rd-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Lancaster: 700 employed · $77,450 median, 64th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Lancaster: 440 employed · $101,490 median, 96th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Lancaster: 130 employed · $47,780 median, 30th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Lancaster: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Lancaster.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Lancaster earn a median $63,430, level with the $62,120 national figure, and 44th of 91 metros. Pay runs $49,160 at the tenth percentile to $98,800 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $61,340 against $59,850 nationally. BLS withholds Lancaster pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Lancaster median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $63,430 | $49,160–$98,800 | $62,120 | +2% | 350 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $59,800 | $46,470–$74,860 | $57,020 | +5% | 470 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $55,690 | $39,140–$79,160 | $60,580 | −8% | 2,750 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $76,300 | $56,750–$116,900 | $79,920 | −5% | 1,630 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $61,340 | $46,120–$94,390 | $59,850 | +2% | 1,010 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $77,450 | $51,600–$123,770 | $78,740 | −2% | 700 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $101,490 | $78,660–$158,140 | $114,990 | −12% | 440 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $47,780 | $38,100–$64,260 | $46,170 | +3% | 130 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | – | – | $64,950 | – | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Lancaster 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 Lancaster's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Lancaster rose from 14 in 2018 to 15 in 2023, up 7%, ahead of the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 5%, to about 361 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $56,583 to $77,088 (+36%), faster than the 23% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up. Lancaster lost nonresidential concrete contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 14 business locations to 12 (down 14%), behind the 11% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 18%, to about 226 people. Average annual pay there went from $63,455 to $94,785 (+49%), faster than the 25% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 14 | 15 | +7% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 380 | 361 | −5% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $56,583 | $77,088 | +36% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 14 | 12 | −14% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 276 | 226 | −18% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $63,455 | $94,785 | +49% |
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
Lancaster runs 39% 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 Lancaster's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Lancaster metro had 12 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 226 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $94,785, 26.6% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 3.4% over the year even as it grew 5.5% nationally, which usually means people leaving the trade or moving to other markets rather than a lack of work. That works out to 2.1 per 100,000 residents, close to the 1.9 national rate. These firms account for 1.2% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Lancaster ranks 66th for headcount, 39th for median pay and 24th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 1,870 | $60,900 | 0.49 | 121 |
| Pittsburgh | 1,500 | $63,310 | 1.02 | 39 |
| Lancaster | 470 | $59,800 | 1.39 | 15 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 220 | $62,970 | 0.43 | 7 |
| Scranton | 140 | $58,000 | 0.40 | 5 |
| Harrisburg | 120 | $60,590 | 0.28 | 7 |
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 Lancaster, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Lancaster metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Labor and Industry states directly that the Commonwealth has no licensure or certification requirement for most construction contractors, which includes masonry and concrete. The only statewide registration is Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Attorney General, and that is a residential consumer protection registration requiring insurance and compliant contracts, not a trade competency license. Some of Pennsylvania's roughly 2,562 municipalities impose their own contractor licensing or registration, and the Commonwealth keeps no record of those, so the local municipality must be contacted directly. For commercial masonry hiring, verify insurance, bonding and any municipal registration for the job location. The same state rules apply in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown-Bethlehem, Harrisburg and Scranton, so candidates licensed there can work in Lancaster without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is residential consumer protection only, and some municipalities impose their own requirements. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Lancaster talent.
The closest metro we cover is Harrisburg, about 35 miles away, with roughly 80 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.2 times Lancaster's 350). Philadelphia pays the most nearby, a $75,970 median, 20% above Lancaster. That is the number any Lancaster offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Washington, D.C. has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | – | 350 | $63,430 |
| Harrisburg | 35 mi | 80 | $72,730 |
| Baltimore | 54 mi | 580 | $58,000 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 58 mi | 100 | $62,400 |
| Philadelphia | 61 mi | 1,210 | $75,970 |
| Washington, D.C. | 88 mi | 1,910 | $60,670 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Lancaster crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Lancaster in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center$375M (hospital already open)Continued fit-out; further expansion planned within 3-4 years
An already-operating hospital continuing to build out additional clinical areas to meet growing regional demand.
- GSK Marietta pharmaceutical facility expansionUp to $800MDrug substance facility operational by end of 2027
Doubling the size of GSK's existing Lancaster County manufacturing facility and adding 215 jobs.
- Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Trauma & ED expansion$182M (84,000 sq ft)Completed June 2024
A single-story addition that nearly doubled ED capacity to 96 beds and 130,000+ annual patient visits, with new trauma bays and behavioral-health and pediatric treatment rooms - a completed, historical example of the healthcare-construction capacity this metro delivers, not an active current driver.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Lancaster market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Lancaster.
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 Lancaster.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Lancaster?
BLS puts the Lancaster median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $63,430 a year, about the same as the $62,120 national median. That ranks 44th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $49,160 and $98,800, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh pays more, at $76,940.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Lancaster?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 311% more of the Lancaster workforce than they do nationally, about 350 people. The 15 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 24 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Lancaster?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Lancaster, a $101,490 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $63,430, 38% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $47,780. Relative to national pay, Concrete Finisher is the strongest-paying role here (5% above). Project Manager trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Lancaster?
BLS counted 15 nonresidential masonry contractors in Lancaster in 2023, employing about 361 people between them. Up from 14 in 2018, a 7% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 24 people per location. They pay an average of $77,088, 13% above the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 12 nonresidential concrete contractors in Lancaster in 2023, employing about 226 people between them. Down from 14 in 2018, a 14% decline against 11% growth nationally. That averages 19 people per location. They pay an average of $94,785, 27% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Lancaster for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Harrisburg (35 miles, about 80, $72,730 median), Baltimore (54 miles, about 580, $58,000 median) and Allentown-Bethlehem (58 miles, about 100, $62,400 median). Baltimore has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Harrisburg pays 15% more, which is where Lancaster employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Lancaster 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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