Stonemasons: Career Overview
Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. Lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.
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What Do Stonemasons Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of stonemasons include:
- Set vertical and horizontal alignment of structures, using plumb bob, gauge line, and level.
- Lay out wall patterns or foundations, using straight edge, rule, or staked lines.
- Set stone or marble in place, according to layout or pattern.
- Remove wedges, fill joints between stones, finish joints between stones, using a trowel, and smooth the mortar to an attractive finish, using a tuck pointer.
- Clean excess mortar or grout from surface of marble, stone, or monument, using sponge, brush, water, or acid.
- Shape, trim, face and cut marble or stone preparatory to setting, using power saws, cutting equipment, and hand tools.
- Mix mortar or grout and pour or spread mortar or grout on marble slabs, stone, or foundation.
- Construct and install prefabricated masonry units.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective stonemasons rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Stonemasons Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Artificial Stone Applicator
- Banker Mason
- Composition Stone Applicator
- Construction Monument Setter
- Curbstone Setter
- Flagstone Layer
- Formstone Fitter
- Granite Block Paver
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 360,544 stonemasons working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -1.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Stonemasons
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,233 |
| Hourly median | $30.88 |
| 10th percentile | $35,547 |
| 25th percentile | $49,890 |
| 75th percentile | $78,576 |
| 90th percentile | $92,918 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $93,320 |
| Connecticut | $81,180 |
| Minnesota | $80,870 |
| Montana | $75,110 |
| Wisconsin | $69,540 |
| Vermont | $68,620 |
| Oregon | $67,080 |
| California | $64,880 |
| Massachusetts | $62,650 |
| Missouri | $61,700 |
| Rhode Island | $60,910 |
| South Dakota | $59,420 |
| Maine | $58,580 |
| Michigan | $58,120 |
| Colorado | $58,120 |
| Virginia | $58,040 |
| New Jersey | $57,970 |
| New Hampshire | $57,550 |
| New York | $55,050 |
| Nevada | $52,290 |
| Florida | $52,040 |
| Indiana | $50,960 |
| Utah | $50,630 |
| Kentucky | $48,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,930 |
| Maryland | $47,890 |
| Kansas | $45,650 |
| Texas | $44,980 |
| Idaho | $44,670 |
| Ohio | $43,610 |
| Tennessee | $40,550 |
| North Carolina | $39,530 |
| Georgia | $39,210 |
| Alabama | $34,650 |
| Arizona | $34,120 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for stonemasons differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $69,439 | 16.4% | 1.10 |
| New England | $61,568 | 11.0% | 3.69 |
| Rocky Mountains | $55,640 | 8.7% | 2.51 |
| Great Lakes | $55,125 | 9.8% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $53,292 | 2.5% | 0.99 |
| Middle Atlantic | $50,914 | 26.7% | 4.90 |
| Southeast | $47,783 | 10.5% | 0.66 |
| Southwest | $41,850 | 14.3% | 1.29 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Stonemasons
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $96,640 | 220 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $71,870 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $68,360 | 30 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $66,560 | 350 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $63,140 | 120 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $61,700 | 70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $61,380 | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $60,910 |
Which Industries Hire Stonemasons
Most stonemasons work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 6,930 | $52,400 |
| Manufacturing | 820 | $46,170 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 690 | $48,060 |
| Retail Trade | 170 | $42,930 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for stonemasons reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Standing
Getting Started in This Career
Most stonemasons positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Primary-Short)
- Carpenters (Supplemental)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Long)
- Floor Sanders and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Short)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Long)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Primary-Short)
- Construction Laborers (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for stonemasons commonly pursue programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2022.00 (Stonemasons).
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