Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving New York.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in New York earn a $92,300 median, 49% above the national figure, and about 3,010 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 328 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 New York.
BLS counts about 59,040 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the New York metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 34,210). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.94). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
New York: 3,010 employed · $92,300 median, 5th-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
New York: 8,390 employed · $65,670 median, 14th-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
New York: 34,210 employed · $74,300 median, 10th-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
New York: 28,220 employed · $103,990 median, 6th-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
New York: 11,430 employed · $95,050 median, 7th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
New York: 11,610 employed · $82,380 median, 21st-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
New York: 12,120 employed · $158,000 median, 4th-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
New York: 750 employed · $45,410 median, 53rd-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
New York: 1,250 employed · $73,790 median, 26th-highest of 111 metros
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in New York.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in New York earn a median $92,300, 49% over the $62,120 national figure, and 5th of 91 metros. Pay runs $62,180 at the tenth percentile to $127,980 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, at $95,050 against $59,850 nationally.
| Role | New York median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $92,300 | $62,180–$127,980 | $62,120 | +49% | 3,010 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $65,670 | $50,140–$105,920 | $57,020 | +15% | 8,390 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $74,300 | $46,860–$123,810 | $60,580 | +23% | 34,210 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $103,990 | $66,180–$154,540 | $79,920 | +30% | 28,220 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $95,050 | $56,680–$154,040 | $59,850 | +59% | 11,430 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $82,380 | $52,000–$150,690 | $78,740 | +5% | 11,610 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $158,000 | $91,740–$250,520 | $114,990 | +37% | 12,120 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $45,410 | $39,370–$69,890 | $46,170 | −2% | 750 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $73,790 | $44,970–$99,490 | $64,950 | +14% | 1,250 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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 New York's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
New York lost nonresidential masonry contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 340 business locations to 328 (down 4%), close to the 6% national change. Headcount at those firms went down 23%, to about 4,633 people. Average annual pay there went from $75,680 to $89,512 (+18%), slower than the 23% national increase. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in New York rose from 163 in 2018 to 173 in 2023, up 6%, behind the 11% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 5%, to about 5,708 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $73,331 to $86,956 (+19%), slower than the 25% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 340 | 328 | −4% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 5,983 | 4,633 | −23% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $75,680 | $89,512 | +18% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 163 | 173 | +6% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 5,985 | 5,708 | −5% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $73,331 | $86,956 | +19% |
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
New York runs 33% 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 New York's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the New York metro had 173 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 5,708 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $86,956, 16.2% above the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 0.9% over the year, a little behind the 5.5% national increase. That works out to 0.9 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 1.5% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, New York ranks 1st for headcount, 13th for median pay and 69th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 8,390 | $65,670 | 0.67 | 328 |
| Buffalo | 470 | $62,640 | 0.66 | 23 |
| Albany | 330 | $62,980 | 0.56 | 17 |
| Rochester | 290 | $62,370 | 0.44 | 24 |
| Syracuse | 220 | $61,550 | 0.55 | 24 |
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 New York, the headline number is misleading. About 8,390 cement masons and concrete finishers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers have been shedding headcount, so the experienced people who remain are usually well placed and slow to move. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, New York metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in New York.
New York State does not license general, masonry or concrete contractors; the Department of State Division of Licensing Services covers real estate, notaries, security guards and appearance trades, with no construction contracting category. New York City licensing runs through the Department of Buildings, which issues a General Contractor Registration along with roughly two dozen other credentials. There is no New York City masonry license, though concrete work touches two Department of Buildings credentials, the Concrete Safety Manager and the Concrete Testing Laboratory approval. Outside New York City, check the county or municipal consumer affairs or building department, since requirements vary by jurisdiction. The same state rules apply in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse, so candidates licensed there can work in New York without re-qualifying. The New York metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; regulated locally, for example the New York City Department of Buildings. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a masonry & concrete search in New York yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in New York than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- HVAC Service TechnicianTwo months to find a technician who could run commercial, public and industrial service calls alone - the seniority bar is what made it long.
- HVAC Service TechnicianFifteen years across VRV/VRF, rooftop units and controls integration.
- HVAC Service TechnicianA second seat for the same contractor, filled with a strong diagnostician earlier in his independent career.
Nearby markets competing for New York talent.
The closest metro we cover is Bridgeport, about 55 miles away. New York pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($92,300 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Bridgeport at $58,790. New York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | – | 3,010 | $92,300 |
| Bridgeport | 53 mi | – | $58,790 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 78 mi | 100 | $62,400 |
| Philadelphia | 81 mi | 1,210 | $75,970 |
| Scranton | 99 mi | – | – |
| Hartford | 100 mi | 270 | $87,520 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for New York crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into New York in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- JFK Airport Terminal 6 + Terminal 1 redevelopment$13-14B combinedThrough 2030
Massive MEP scope across both terminals. Airport-grade mechanical, electrical, baggage systems. Multi-year crew demand for senior trades.
- Penn Station / Moynihan area expansion$7B+Through 2032
Tunnel work, high-density commercial mechanical, public transit MEP.
- 2nd Avenue Subway Phase 2$6.9BThrough 2030
Heavy civil + station mechanical work. Specialty MTA contractor pool.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The New York market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in New York.
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 New York.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in New York?
BLS puts the New York median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $92,300 a year, 49% above the $62,120 national median. That ranks 5th of 91 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Experience carries a clear premium, $62,180 at the 10th percentile against $127,980 at the 90th - a 2.1x gap - so an offer at the median mostly reaches newer workers. No other New York metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in New York?
It is about average. Brickmasons and blockmasons are as common in New York as they are nationally (location quotient 0.94), with about 3,010 in the metro. The 328 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 14 employees per location.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in New York?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in New York, a $158,000 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Pump Operator at $95,050, 40% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $45,410. Relative to national pay, Concrete Pump Operator is the strongest-paying role here (59% above).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in New York?
BLS counted 328 nonresidential masonry contractors in New York in 2023, employing about 4,633 people between them. Down from 340 in 2018, a 4% decline against 6% decline nationally. That averages 14 people per location. They pay an average of $89,512, 31% above the $68,219 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counted 173 nonresidential concrete contractors in New York in 2023, employing about 5,708 people between them. Up from 163 in 2018, a 6% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 33 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $86,956, 16% above the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with New York for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Bridgeport (53 miles, $58,790 median), Allentown-Bethlehem (78 miles, about 100, $62,400 median) and Philadelphia (81 miles, about 1,210, $75,970 median). New York out-pays Bridgeport, Allentown-Bethlehem and Philadelphia, an advantage when recruiting from there.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
328 nonresidential masonry contractors in New York are drawing on the same 3,010 brickmasons and blockmasons. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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