Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Nashville.
Nashville has 45% more brickmasons and blockmasons per job than the country as a whole, about 540 in the metro. BLS counts 34 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 Nashville.
BLS counts about 9,660 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Nashville metro, the largest group being operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (about 3,820). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.45). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Nashville: 540 employed · $66,380 median, 37th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Nashville: 1,490 employed · $48,810 median, 75th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Nashville: 3,040 employed · $55,770 median, 59th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Nashville: 6,510 employed · $78,830 median, 54th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Nashville: 3,820 employed · $56,030 median, 66th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Nashville: 1,570 employed · $81,300 median, 28th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Nashville: 2,460 employed · $122,190 median, 29th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Nashville: 360 employed · $47,140 median, 37th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Nashville: 410 employed · $58,020 median, 87th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Nashville.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Nashville earn a median $66,380, 7% over the $62,120 national figure, and 37th of 91 metros. Pay runs $50,670 at the tenth percentile to $75,410 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $58,020 against $64,950 nationally.
| Role | Nashville median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $66,380 | $50,670–$75,410 | $62,120 | +7% | 540 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $48,810 | $36,780–$61,040 | $57,020 | −14% | 1,490 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $55,770 | $40,120–$69,680 | $60,580 | −8% | 3,040 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $78,830 | $55,250–$115,430 | $79,920 | −1% | 6,510 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $56,030 | $46,630–$73,900 | $59,850 | −6% | 3,820 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,300 | $47,400–$127,770 | $78,740 | +3% | 1,570 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $122,190 | $73,550–$195,040 | $114,990 | +6% | 2,460 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $47,140 | $37,770–$56,620 | $46,170 | +2% | 360 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $58,020 | $44,990–$78,270 | $64,950 | −11% | 410 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nashville 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 Nashville's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential masonry contractors in Nashville rose from 27 in 2018 to 34 in 2023, up 26%, ahead of the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went up 18%, to about 1,108 people. Average annual pay there went from $50,764 to $60,520 (+19%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Nashville rose from 36 in 2018 to 64 in 2023, up 78%, ahead of the 11% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 170%, to about 2,172 people. Average annual pay there went from $76,906 to $82,368 (+7%), slower than the 25% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 27 | 34 | +26% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 936 | 1,108 | +18% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $50,764 | $60,520 | +19% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 36 | 64 | +78% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 804 | 2,172 | +170% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $76,906 | $82,368 | +7% |
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
Nashville sits at about the national rate for masonry and concrete — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
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 Nashville's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Nashville metro had 64 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 2,172 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $82,368, 10% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 33.3% 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 rose 6.7%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 3.0 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, Nashville ranks 30th for headcount, 69th for median pay and 41st 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 Nashville, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Nashville 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 Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga, so candidates licensed there can work in Nashville without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Nashville talent.
The closest metro we cover is Huntsville, about 100 miles away. Chattanooga pays the most nearby, a $69,660 median, 5% above Nashville. That is the number any Nashville offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Nashville is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | – | 540 | $66,380 |
| Huntsville | 100 mi | – | – |
| Chattanooga | 113 mi | 150 | $69,660 |
| Louisville | 155 mi | 280 | $61,100 |
| Knoxville | 161 mi | 70 | $64,090 |
| Birmingham | 183 mi | 120 | $50,030 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Nashville crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Nashville in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- BNA "New Horizon" expansion - Central Core Enhancement$3B programCentral Core work through December 2027
Rebuilding the terminal hub connecting baggage claim, ticketing, garages, and security. Phased work inside an operating airport - night shifts, tight sequencing, and a premium on live-facility experience.
- New Nissan Stadium$2.1BCompleting early 2027
An enclosed venue anchoring 550 acres of East Bank redevelopment. Now deep in MEP, systems, and finish phases - the highest-headcount portion of a stadium build. Large-venue superintendents and specialty systems crews are fully committed here.
- East Bank redevelopment550-acre master planPhased through the 2030s
Residential, hospitality, and infrastructure surrounding the stadium, including East Bank Flats housing and new street and utility networks. Provides the mid-market vertical and sitework demand that will absorb crews as the stadium completes.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Nashville market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Nashville.
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 Nashville.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Nashville?
BLS puts the Nashville median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $66,380 a year, 7% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 37th of 91 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $50,670 to $75,410 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x 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 Nashville?
Not by national standards. Brickmasons and blockmasons make up 45% more of the Nashville workforce than they do nationally, about 540 people. The 34 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 33 employees per location, which means a handful of large operators set the pace on pay. With 26% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Nashville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Nashville, a $122,190 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Bricklayer / Mason at $66,380, 46% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $47,140. Relative to national pay, Bricklayer / Mason is the strongest-paying role here (7% above). Concrete Finisher trails national pay the most (14% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Nashville?
BLS counted 34 nonresidential masonry contractors in Nashville in 2023, employing about 1,108 people between them. Up from 27 in 2018, a 26% increase against 6% decline nationally. That averages 33 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $60,520, 11% below the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 64 nonresidential concrete contractors in Nashville in 2023, employing about 2,172 people between them. Up from 36 in 2018, a 78% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 34 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $82,368, 10% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Nashville for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Chattanooga (113 miles, about 150, $69,660 median), Louisville (155 miles, about 280, $61,100 median) and Knoxville (161 miles, about 70, $64,090 median). Nashville out-pays Louisville, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Nashville 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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