Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Modesto.
BLS counts 3 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 Modesto.
BLS counts about 2,320 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Modesto metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 1,430). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Modesto: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Concrete Finisher
Modesto: 350 employed · $76,500 median, 4th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Modesto: 1,430 employed · $73,730 median, 12th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Modesto: 780 employed · $91,140 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Modesto: 430 employed · $90,560 median, 10th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Modesto: 290 employed · $81,330 median, 27th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Modesto: 380 employed · $125,800 median, 25th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Modesto: 70 employed · $59,990 median, 2nd-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Modesto: 40 employed · $95,630 median, 4th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Modesto.
BLS publishes no Modesto pay for brickmasons and blockmasons; nationally the median is $62,120. Cement masons and concrete finishers in Modesto earn a median $76,500, 34% over the $57,020 national figure, and 4th of 111 metros. Pay runs $46,470 at the tenth percentile to $106,590 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $95,630 against $64,950 nationally. BLS withholds Modesto pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Modesto median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | – | – | $62,120 | – | – |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $76,500 | $46,470–$106,590 | $57,020 | +34% | 350 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $73,730 | $48,970–$117,750 | $60,580 | +22% | 1,430 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $91,140 | $60,000–$137,610 | $79,920 | +14% | 780 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $90,560 | $52,020–$131,850 | $59,850 | +51% | 430 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,330 | $51,380–$139,990 | $78,740 | +3% | 290 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $125,800 | $82,760–$197,620 | $114,990 | +9% | 380 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $59,990 | $39,630–$90,910 | $46,170 | +30% | 70 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $95,630 | $62,870–$105,310 | $64,950 | +47% | 40 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Modesto 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 Modesto's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Modesto rose from 2 in 2018 to 3 in 2023, up 50%, ahead of the 6% national decline. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. Modesto lost nonresidential concrete contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 8 business locations to 7 (down 12%), behind the 11% growth nationally. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. Headcount at those firms went up 28%, to about 212 people, so fewer firms are employing more people each. Average annual pay there went from $57,240 to $69,353 (+21%), slower than the 25% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 2 | 3 | +50% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | – | 18 | – |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | – | $48,436 | – |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 8 | 7 | −12% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 166 | 212 | +28% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $57,240 | $69,353 | +21% |
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
Modesto runs 33% 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 Modesto's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Modesto metro had 7 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 212 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $69,353, 7.4% below the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 12.4% 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. The number of these employers fell 12.5%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 1.3 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 2.0% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Modesto ranks 77th for headcount, 3rd for median pay and 28th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers. Pay here is among the highest we see, so offers need to start near the top of the range.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 7,810 | $63,790 | 0.94 | 65 |
| Riverside | 4,740 | $59,550 | 2.08 | 38 |
| Sacramento | 2,580 | $60,240 | 1.80 | 17 |
| San Francisco | 2,420 | $75,970 | 0.77 | 18 |
| San Diego | 2,330 | $66,530 | 1.14 | 19 |
| San Jose | 1,500 | $75,520 | 1.00 | 8 |
| Fresno | 980 | $57,620 | 1.54 | 8 |
| Stockton | 640 | $56,980 | 1.66 | 7 |
| Bakersfield | 600 | $58,670 | 1.35 | 3 |
| Modesto | 350 | $76,500 | 1.33 | 3 |
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 Modesto, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Modesto metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in California.
California licenses specialty contractors by classification, including C-2 Insulation and Acoustical, C-8 Concrete and C-29 Masonry. The same state rules apply in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield and Stockton, so candidates licensed there can work in Modesto without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Modesto talent.
The closest metro we cover is Stockton, about 25 miles away, with roughly 150 brickmasons and blockmasons. BLS does not publish Modesto figures for this occupation, so the nearby markets are the best guide: Sacramento has the largest pool within reach, about 340, and San Francisco pays the most, a $77,350 median.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | – | – | – |
| Stockton | 27 mi | 150 | $75,490 |
| San Jose | 53 mi | 180 | $75,930 |
| Sacramento | 71 mi | 340 | $73,810 |
| San Francisco | 78 mi | 340 | $77,350 |
| Fresno | 91 mi | 170 | $69,050 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Modesto crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Modesto in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- North County Corridor Phase 1UndisclosedUnder construction
A new four-lane, access-controlled expressway with a new interchange at Roselle Avenue and grade-separated structures over the BNSF rail line.
- Sutter Health Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex$380MGroundbreak January 2026, completion by 2029
A four-story, 165,000 sq ft facility on the Memorial Medical Center campus - cancer treatment on floors 1-2, a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center on floor 3, and 50+ outpatient exam rooms on floor 4.
- Seventh Street Village apartments$56M ($33M in state funding)Completing late 2027
A five-story, 79-unit downtown Modesto apartment building for low-income residents.
These are the 3 projects we track in Modesto. The Modesto market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Modesto.
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 Modesto.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Modesto?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Modesto, a $125,800 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Testing Technician at $95,630, 24% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $59,990. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (51% above).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Modesto?
BLS counted 3 nonresidential masonry contractors in Modesto in 2023, employing about 18 people between them. Up from 2 in 2018, a 50% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 6.0 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $48,436, 29% below the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 7 nonresidential concrete contractors in Modesto in 2023, employing about 212 people between them. Down from 8 in 2018, a 12% decline against 11% growth nationally. That averages 30 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $69,353, 7% below the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Modesto for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Stockton (27 miles, about 150, $75,490 median), San Jose (53 miles, about 180, $75,930 median) and Sacramento (71 miles, about 340, $73,810 median).
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