Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Memphis.
Brickmasons and blockmasons are scarcer in Memphis than in most of the country, 59% fewer per job, so the roughly 90 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 17 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 Memphis.
BLS counts about 3,250 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Memphis metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 1,240). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.41). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Memphis: 90 employed · $65,360 median, 40th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Memphis: 510 employed · $50,030 median, 67th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Memphis: 1,240 employed · $50,620 median, 79th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Memphis: 2,500 employed · $75,850 median, 82nd-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Memphis: 1,140 employed · $53,870 median, 69th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Memphis: 630 employed · $76,660 median, 70th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Memphis: 670 employed · $107,710 median, 63rd-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Memphis: 80 employed · $47,050 median, 38th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Memphis: 190 employed · $59,990 median, 79th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Memphis.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Memphis earn a median $65,360, 5% over the $62,120 national figure, and 40th of 91 metros. Pay runs $48,680 at the tenth percentile to $76,870 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $59,990 against $64,950 nationally.
| Role | Memphis median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $65,360 | $48,680–$76,870 | $62,120 | +5% | 90 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $50,030 | $38,010–$61,690 | $57,020 | −12% | 510 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $50,620 | $40,250–$64,780 | $60,580 | −16% | 1,240 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $75,850 | $49,500–$109,280 | $79,920 | −5% | 2,500 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $53,870 | $40,560–$72,790 | $59,850 | −10% | 1,140 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $76,660 | $50,160–$122,900 | $78,740 | −3% | 630 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $107,710 | $65,750–$168,220 | $114,990 | −6% | 670 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $47,050 | $29,460–$57,950 | $46,170 | +2% | 80 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $59,990 | $40,680–$78,080 | $64,950 | −8% | 190 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Memphis 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 Memphis's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Memphis rose from 16 in 2018 to 17 in 2023, up 6%, ahead of the 6% national decline. BLS stops short of publishing headcount and pay for them here, which happens when a handful of firms account for most of the work. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Memphis rose from 17 in 2018 to 19 in 2023, up 12%, close to the 11% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 50%, to about 940 people. Average annual pay there went from $62,721 to $96,453 (+54%), faster than the 25% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 16 | 17 | +6% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 17 | 19 | +12% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 626 | 940 | +50% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $62,721 | $96,453 | +54% |
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
Memphis runs 37% fewer masonry and concrete workers per job than the country as a whole — well 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 Memphis's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Memphis metro had 19 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 940 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $96,453, 28.8% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 7.5% 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. The number of these employers rose 11.8%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 1.4 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.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Memphis ranks 65th for headcount, 62nd for median pay and 76th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 1,490 | $48,810 | 1.02 | 34 |
| Knoxville | 550 | $45,970 | 0.98 | 13 |
| Memphis | 510 | $50,030 | 0.63 | 17 |
| Chattanooga | 210 | $45,360 | 0.59 | 6 |
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 Memphis, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Memphis metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Tennessee.
Tennessee requires a contractor license for projects of $25,000 or more. Masonry subcontractors must be licensed when the masonry portion is $100,000 or more. The same state rules apply in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, so candidates licensed there can work in Memphis without re-qualifying. The Memphis metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Memphis talent.
The closest metro we cover is Little Rock, about 130 miles away, with roughly 70 brickmasons and blockmasons (0.8 times Memphis's 90). St. Louis pays the most nearby, a $77,490 median, 19% above Memphis. That is the number any Memphis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | – | 90 | $65,360 |
| Little Rock | 130 mi | 70 | $58,510 |
| Nashville | 196 mi | 540 | $66,380 |
| Huntsville | 198 mi | – | – |
| Birmingham | 217 mi | 120 | $50,030 |
| St. Louis | 240 mi | 1,070 | $77,490 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Memphis crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Memphis in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- FedEx "Hercules" sorting facility$400MGroundwork permit filed Aug 2026
A 5-story, 1.6M sq ft automated small-package sorting facility at Memphis International Airport, connected by an elevated bridge to FedEx's recently completed Secondary 25 sorting center. First-phase groundwork includes site demolition, drainage, underground utilities, paving, and foundation work.
- FedEx Memphis World Hub overhaul~$1BMulti-year, phased
FedEx's broader modernization of its Memphis air-cargo hub, the largest in the world. Sustained materials-handling electrical, structural, and industrial mechanical demand across multiple concurrent projects.
- FedEx International Priority Freight Shipment Facility expansion$18.1M3-phase, completing summer 2028
A ~500,000 sq ft commercial addition to an existing freight canopy at the World Hub - smaller in scale than Hercules but adds to the steady drumbeat of FedEx-driven construction demand in this market.
These are the 3 projects we track in Memphis. The Memphis market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Memphis.
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 Memphis.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Memphis?
BLS puts the Memphis median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $65,360 a year, 5% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 40th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $48,680 to $76,870 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Tennessee, Chattanooga pays more, at $69,660.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Memphis?
Yes. Memphis has 59% fewer brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, roughly 90 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 19 nonresidential concrete contractors here average about 49 employees per location, which means a handful of large operators set the pace on pay.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Memphis?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Memphis, a $107,710 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $65,360, 39% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $47,050. Relative to national pay, Bricklayer / Mason is the strongest-paying role here (5% above). Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter trails national pay the most (16% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Memphis?
BLS counted 17 nonresidential masonry contractors in Memphis in 2023. Up from 16 in 2018, a 6% increase 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 19 nonresidential concrete contractors in Memphis in 2023, employing about 940 people between them. Up from 17 in 2018, a 12% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 49 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $96,453, 29% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Memphis for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Little Rock (130 miles, about 70, $58,510 median), Nashville (196 miles, about 540, $66,380 median) and Birmingham (217 miles, about 120, $50,030 median). Nashville has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Memphis out-pays Little Rock and Birmingham, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With brickmasons and blockmasons this scarce in Memphis, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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