Masonry & Concrete recruiters serving Tucson.
At a $55,310 median, brickmasons and blockmasons in Tucson earn 11% less than nationally; about 120 work in the metro. BLS counts 12 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 Tucson.
BLS counts about 3,380 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Tucson metro, the largest group being carpenters (about 1,380). Relative to the size of the local economy, brickmasons and blockmasons are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.89). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Masonry & Concrete hub.
Bricklayer / Mason
Tucson: 120 employed · $55,310 median, 72nd-highest of 91 metros
Concrete Finisher
Tucson: 590 employed · $57,500 median, 53rd-highest of 111 metros
Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter
Tucson: 1,380 employed · $49,110 median, 93rd-highest of 112 metros
Masonry Foreman
Tucson: 1,900 employed · $71,480 median, 101st-highest of 112 metros
Concrete Pump Operator
Tucson: 1,130 employed · $58,100 median, 64th-highest of 112 metros
Estimator
Tucson: 630 employed · $73,590 median, 84th-highest of 111 metros
Project Manager
Tucson: 820 employed · $98,740 median, 103rd-highest of 111 metros
Restoration Mason
Precast Concrete Technician
Tucson: 50 employed · $47,150 median, 35th-highest of 85 metros
Concrete Testing Technician
Tucson: 110 employed · $66,480 median, 44th-highest of 111 metros
Hiring the same trade in another market? We recruit it in Charlotte, NC too.
What Masonry & Concrete roles earn in Tucson.
Brickmasons and blockmasons in Tucson earn a median $55,310, 11% under the $62,120 national figure, and 72nd of 91 metros. Pay runs $41,150 at the tenth percentile to $68,610 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is civil engineering technologists and technicians, at $66,480 against $64,950 nationally.
| Role | Tucson median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer / Mason · Restoration MasonBrickmasons and Blockmasons (47-2021) | $55,310 | $41,150–$68,610 | $62,120 | −11% | 120 |
| Concrete FinisherCement Masons and Concrete Finishers (47-2051) | $57,500 | $45,690–$70,540 | $57,020 | +1% | 590 |
| Concrete Form Setter / CarpenterCarpenters (47-2031) | $49,110 | $37,660–$72,290 | $60,580 | −19% | 1,380 |
| Masonry ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $71,480 | $49,990–$98,080 | $79,920 | −11% | 1,900 |
| Concrete Pump OperatorOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (47-2073) | $58,100 | $45,160–$75,250 | $59,850 | −3% | 1,130 |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $73,590 | $46,610–$122,640 | $78,740 | −7% | 630 |
| Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $98,740 | $70,300–$160,120 | $114,990 | −14% | 820 |
| Precast Concrete TechnicianMolders, Shapers, and Casters (51-9195) | $47,150 | $45,720–$55,260 | $46,170 | +2% | 50 |
| Concrete Testing TechnicianCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3022) | $66,480 | $44,210–$82,460 | $64,950 | +2% | 110 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tucson 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 Tucson's masonry & concrete market has changed since 2018.
Tucson lost nonresidential masonry contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 15 business locations to 12 (down 20%), behind the 6% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 25%, to about 180 people. Average annual pay there went from $44,047 to $66,883 (+52%), faster than the 23% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up. The number of nonresidential concrete contractors in Tucson rose from 14 in 2018 to 16 in 2023, up 14%, close to the 11% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 14%, to about 241 people. Average annual pay there went from $39,512 to $61,360 (+55%), faster than the 25% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: business locations | 15 | 12 | −20% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: employment | 241 | 180 | −25% |
| Nonresidential masonry contractors: average annual pay | $44,047 | $66,883 | +52% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: business locations | 14 | 16 | +14% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: employment | 211 | 241 | +14% |
| Nonresidential concrete contractors: average annual pay | $39,512 | $61,360 | +55% |
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
Tucson runs 15% more masonry and concrete workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 Tucson's masonry and concrete market compares
In 2023 the Tucson metro had 16 nonresidential concrete contractors (counted by business location), with about 241 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $61,360, 18% below the national average of $74,865 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 6.6% 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 14.3%, more firms competing for the same crews. That works out to 1.5 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 1.2% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Tucson ranks 59th for headcount, 49th for median pay and 34th for concentration for cement masons and concrete finishers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 6,120 | $59,260 | 1.94 | 55 |
| Tucson | 590 | $57,500 | 1.15 | 12 |
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 Tucson, 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, Tucson metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Masonry & Concrete licensing in Arizona.
Arizona requires contractors and subcontractors to be licensed, with commercial classifications including C-31 Masonry, C-9 Concrete and C-40 Insulation. A handyman exemption covers only jobs under $1,000 that need no building permit. The same state rules apply in Phoenix, so candidates licensed there can work in Tucson without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Tucson talent.
The closest metro we cover is Phoenix, about 110 miles away, with roughly 930 brickmasons and blockmasons (7.8 times Tucson's 120). Phoenix pays the most nearby, a $59,390 median, 7% above Tucson. That is the number any Tucson offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Phoenix has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
What else is competing for Tucson crews.
Not masonry & concrete work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Tucson in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Tucson Electric Power solar farm$150M, 100MWConstruction 18-24 months, full operations expected late 2026
A utility-scale solar facility sized to power roughly 25,000 homes, including grid-interconnection upgrades. Hundreds of construction jobs during the build phase, concentrated in electrical and heavy-civil trades.
This is the only project we track in Tucson. The Tucson market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for masonry & concrete, and what kills offers in Tucson.
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 Tucson.
What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Tucson?
BLS puts the Tucson median for brickmasons and blockmasons at $55,310 a year, 11% below the $62,120 national median. That ranks 72nd of 91 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $41,150 and $68,610, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Arizona, Phoenix pays more, at $59,390.
Is it hard to hire brickmasons and blockmasons in Tucson?
It is about average. Brickmasons and blockmasons are as common in Tucson as they are nationally (location quotient 0.89), with about 120 in the metro. The 12 nonresidential masonry contractors here average about 15 employees per location. There are 20% fewer of those firms than in 2018, so experienced people have fewer local employers to move between.
Which masonry & concrete roles pay the most in Tucson?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Tucson, a $98,740 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Concrete Testing Technician at $66,480, 33% below it. Precast Concrete Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $47,150. Concrete Form Setter / Carpenter trails national pay the most (19% below).
How many nonresidential masonry contractors operate in Tucson?
BLS counted 12 nonresidential masonry contractors in Tucson in 2023, employing about 180 people between them. Down from 15 in 2018, a 20% decline against 6% decline nationally. That averages 15 people per location. They pay about the national average of $68,219. BLS counted 16 nonresidential concrete contractors in Tucson in 2023, employing about 241 people between them. Up from 14 in 2018, a 14% increase against 11% growth nationally. That averages 15 people per location. They pay an average of $61,360, 18% below the $74,865 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Tucson for brickmasons and blockmasons?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Phoenix (108 miles, about 930, $59,390 median) and El Paso (262 miles, about 60, $48,940 median). Phoenix has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Phoenix pays 7% more, which is where Tucson employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
12 nonresidential masonry contractors in Tucson are drawing on the same 120 brickmasons and blockmasons. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
Schedule a Discovery Call →