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Stonemasons

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. Lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.

Kinds of work

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

Moderate 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 $57,390 Median per year · $27.59/hr Most earn $39,300–$86,180

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Smooth, polish, and bevel surfaces, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Position mold along guidelines of wall, press mold in place, and remove mold and paper from wall.
  • Replace broken or missing masonry units in walls or floors.
  • Position mold along guidelines of wall, press mold in place, and remove mold and paper from wall.
  • Remove sections of monument from truck bed, and guide stone onto foundation, using skids, hoist, or truck crane.
  • Repair cracked or chipped areas of stone or marble, using blowtorch and mastic, and remove rough or defective spots from concrete, using power grinder or chisel and hammer.

Job outlook

United States
5% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 500 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

  • Masonry contractors47.1%
  • Self-employed (their own business)17.6%
  • Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing5.6%
  • Other miscellaneous retailers2.2%

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

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

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: 2 to 4 years

Stonemason is an entry-level trade. You usually need a high school diploma, then about 2 to 4 years of hands-on experience, often as a helper, before you're doing the work on your own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Graduating with a diploma is the typical education requirement, and classes in math, shop, and drafting build skills you'll use on site.

  2. Masonry Helper

    2-4 years

    Helpers mix mortar, move stone and tools, and assist experienced masons, learning how to read plans and set stone while on the job.

  3. Stonemason

    Ongoing once experienced

    After roughly 2 to 4 years of experience, you can build piers, walls, and walks with your own skill and judgment.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Stonemason

    3-5 years of experience first

    You start directing a small crew, checking the quality of their work, and reading more complex plans.

  2. Masonry Foreman

    3-5 years as a lead of experience first

    You plan daily work, schedule crews and materials, and keep the job on track, which takes strong communication and organization.

  3. Masonry Superintendent

    5-10 years of experience first

    You oversee several crews or whole construction projects, handling budgets, safety, and coordination with other trades.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and geometryMeasuring, angles, and calculating area and volume come up often when laying out stone walls and walks.
  • Take shop, woodworking, or drafting classesThese teach you to use hand and power tools and read technical drawings, both useful on a masonry crew.
  • Get a summer or part-time job on a construction or landscaping crewEven general labor work teaches teamwork, job-site safety, and how a building project runs.
  • Volunteer on a building or home-repair projectHelping with a community build or a local repair crew gives you hands-on experience and a reference for future jobs.
  • Talk to a working stonemasonAsk a mason in your area what a typical day looks like and how they got started. Their advice can help you choose your next steps.

In college

  • Take a construction or building trades courseCourses in construction methods, blueprint reading, or building materials give you a strong head start if you later enter the trade.
  • Take a short masonry or stonework classA community college or trade school course can teach basic laying techniques, and many schools offer them without a long commitment.
  • Work a seasonal construction or landscaping jobHands-on work on a crew, especially one that handles stone, brick, or concrete, builds the experience that employers look for.
  • Join a trade or construction student clubClubs like those tied to building trades or engineering can connect you with contractors and internship leads.
  • Look into apprenticeship programs in your areaMany areas have registered masonry apprenticeships that pay you while you learn. Check with your school's career office or local unions and contractor groups.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local masonry contractor or stone yard whether they hire helpers or take on apprentices. Getting in as a helper is often the real first step.
  • Learn to work safely and on time. Showing up reliably and taking direction well matters a lot to crew leaders who decide who gets more responsibility.
  • Practice basic measuring and drawing skills. Reading plans and getting measurements right is a big part of the job from the start.

Related jobs that often lead here

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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