Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
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.
Also called: Cement Finisher · Cement Mason · Concrete Finisher · Concrete Mason · Finisher · Mason
Median pay (national)
$54,660
$38,290–$87,620 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
205,230
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.8%
~14,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for cement masons and concrete finishers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $87,620 versus $38,290 at the bottom 10% — 2.3x. The median of $54,660 leaves roughly 60% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.8% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 14,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Alaska pays the most for this role (median $94,950, +74% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $29,450 — a 222% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Speaking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Learning Strategies
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
- Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
- Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.
- Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.
- Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.
- Waterproof or restore concrete surfaces, using appropriate compounds.
- Produce rough concrete surface, using broom.
- Wet surface to prepare for bonding, fill holes and cracks with grout or slurry, and smooth, using trowel.
- Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
- Apply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproof or restore surface.
Tools & technology
- ACT Contractors Forms
- ADAPT-Modeler
- Hard Dollar HD Project Estimating
- HIPERPAV
- LogicSphere Firstmix
- Maxwell Systems Quest Estimator
- National Concrete & Masonry Estimator
- Shilstone seeMIX
- Sirus GT Construction Accounting
- Tradesman's Software Master Estimator
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service