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Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $57,020 Median per year · $27.41/hr Most earn $39,190–$85,480

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Wet surface to prepare for bonding, fill holes and cracks with grout or slurry, and smooth, using trowel.
  • Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete or pattern or stamp the surface to provide a decorative finish.
  • Chip, scrape, and grind high spots, ridges, and rough projections to finish concrete, using pneumatic chisels, power grinders, or hand tools.
  • Sprinkle colored marble or stone chips, powdered steel, or coloring powder over surface to produce prescribed finish.
  • Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete or pattern or stamp the surface to provide a decorative finish.
  • Spread roofing paper on surface of foundation, and spread concrete onto roofing paper with trowel to form terrazzo base.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 13,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Poured concrete foundation and structure contractors42.1%
  • Other specialty trade contractors16.1%
  • Nonresidential building construction9.6%
  • Highway, street, and bridge construction8.4%
  • Masonry contractors5.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 3 to 6 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. You can get started with a high school diploma, and most people become skilled on the job over several months.

  1. High School Diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic credential most concrete employers ask for, and it's a good time to build math and shop skills.

  2. Construction Laborer

    3-6 months

    Working on a concrete or construction crew teaches you to mix and place concrete, set up forms, and handle tools safely before you move into finishing work.

  3. Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher

    Ongoing on-the-job training

    You learn to smooth, edge, and finish poured concrete, align forms, and cut expansion joints, usually by working alongside experienced finishers.

Where it can lead

  1. Concrete Crew Foreman

    3-5 years of experience first

    A foreman leads a small crew, plans the day's pours and finishing work, and checks quality, which takes strong skills and good communication.

  2. Brickmason and Blockmason

    1-2 years of experience first

    Moving into masonry means learning to lay brick and block, a related trade that uses similar layout and finishing skills and can open new job options.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, woodworking, or construction classesHands-on classes teach you to use tools and read plans, which are useful skills for concrete work.
  • Take math courses, especially geometryMeasuring slopes, areas, and levels on job sites relies on the same geometry you'll learn in class.
  • Get a summer or after-school job doing yard, landscaping, or helper workAny job that involves physical labor, following safety rules, and working in a team gives you real experience employers respect.
  • Join a career or technical student organization, such as SkillsUSAClubs like this often include skills competitions and connect you with local trade professionals.

In college

  • Take a construction technology or building trades courseCourses on construction methods and materials give you a foundation that helps you learn concrete work faster on the job.
  • Get a part-time or summer job on a construction crewWorking on a real site teaches you how concrete is poured, formed, and finished, and it builds your work record.
  • Look into apprenticeship programs run by local unions or contractorsApprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom learning and are a common route into concrete finishing.
  • Earn safety certifications, such as OSHA 10-hour construction trainingA safety card shows employers you understand job site hazards, which is often required before you can work on a site.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local concrete or masonry contractor whether they hire entry-level helpers, and ask to shadow a finisher for a day to see if the work fits you.
  • Get comfortable with basic tools and safety rules, such as wearing protective gear and lifting correctly, since employers value workers who are careful and reliable.
  • Keep a simple record of the jobs you help with, such as sidewalks or patios, to show future employers what you've done.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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