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Concrete finisher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$57,020median pay per year, or $27.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $39,190lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,01025th percentile
  3. $57,020median
  4. $66,87075th percentile
  5. $85,480top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for a concrete finisher was $57,020 a year[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.6% over ten years[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.6%[2]
Openings per year
13,600[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do concrete finishers make?

BLS calls this job Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers. The median wage was $57,020 a year, or $27.41 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $60,050 a year, or $28.87 an hour[7].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[4].

Pay varies a lot across the range. A percentile is a boundary, so the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,190[3][8]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].

Level Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][9] $39,190 $18.84
25th percentile[3][9] $47,010 $22.60
Median[1] $57,020 $27.41
75th percentile[3][9] $66,870 $32.15
90th percentile[3][9] $85,480 $41.10

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Hawaii had the highest state median at $95,890, followed by Alaska at $92,960 and Illinois at $78,170[11]. Hawaii and Alaska have small workforces, with 650 and 240 jobs[11].

California had the most jobs at 28,700 and a median of $62,700[11][12]. Texas was next with 26,430 jobs and a median of $47,500[11][12]. Florida had 15,240 jobs[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Urban Honolulu had the highest median at $96,260, then Anchorage at $92,250 and Yakima at $87,830[13]. The New York metro area had the most jobs at 8,390, with a median of $65,670[14].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[11]$95,890650
Alaska$92,960240
Illinois$78,1705,890
Washington$77,5204,440
Oregon$68,5302,170
Minnesota$66,8303,070
Wisconsin$64,2504,490
New York$64,0409,060
Massachusetts$63,8401,590
Ohio$62,9906,060
Rhode Island$62,950250
California$62,70028,700
District of Columbia$61,680320
Montana$61,620780
Pennsylvania$61,6105,180
New Jersey$61,4102,390
Missouri$61,3906,220
Indiana$61,2704,390
Nevada$61,2303,290
Vermont$61,160270
Colorado$60,7005,140
Michigan$59,8606,350
Arizona$58,9107,520
Connecticut$58,640610
Wyoming$58,450620
Iowa$58,2202,110
North Dakota$57,7101,190
Delaware$57,030400
Utah$56,4205,340
Idaho$56,4102,540
Maine$55,680730
New Hampshire$54,210300
Kansas$52,1303,610
Maryland$51,9502,540
West Virginia$51,950760
Virginia$50,9304,020
Kentucky$50,2001,280
Nebraska$49,5103,200
South Carolina$49,3601,930
New Mexico$49,2301,540
Louisiana$49,180910
Florida$48,68015,240
Tennessee$47,9103,920
Texas$47,50026,430
South Dakota$47,1602,550
North Carolina$46,7804,610
Georgia$46,2403,400
Arkansas$46,2301,900
Oklahoma$45,7502,980
Alabama$44,7202,110
Mississippi$43,980930

How to become a concrete finisher

BLS lists no formal educational credential and no work experience in a related job as the typical entry path[6]. Training is moderate-term and happens on the job[6].

In an O*NET survey of 26 workers, 52% said the job requires less than a high school diploma, 35% said a high school diploma or equivalent, and 13% said a post-secondary certificate[15].

The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers masonry workers as a wider group, not only concrete finishers[16].

Journey workers may move up to supervisor or construction management roles, or become independent contractors[23]. The facts do not say how long training takes.

What concrete finishers do

Concrete finishers smooth and finish poured concrete in places such as floors, sidewalks, roads and curbs, using hand and power tools[24]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

For the wider masonry group, the largest share of workers, 31%, were employed by poured concrete foundation and structure contractors[26]. In 2025, 1.5% of concrete finishers were self-employed[27].

Masonry work is physically demanding. Workers often lift heavy materials and spend long periods standing, kneeling and bending[28]. The work can be indoors or outdoors, and bad weather can affect outdoor jobs[28]. Most masons have full-time jobs, and some put in overtime to finish on schedule[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 204,800 to 208,100 jobs, a gain of 3,300[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[30]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. The separate OEWS count for May 2025 was about 206,170 wage and salary jobs[31].

About 13,600 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.1% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 4.3% to move to a different occupation[32].

One factor behind the slow growth is that more precast and prefabricated concrete is installed, which cuts the number of onsite workers needed to build forms and pour[33].

Is it a good fit?

The job has no formal educational requirement, and training happens on the job[6]. Pay was above the all-occupations median, though the range is wide[1][3][4]. Growth is slower than for all occupations, but yearly openings are many compared with the projected gain[2][30][5]. The work is physical, and masons work mostly outdoors[28][29]. Pay also depends on where you work, as the state figures show[11].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a concrete finisher make an hour?
The median was $27.41 an hour and the average was $28.87 an hour in May 2025[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $18.84 and the 90th was $41.10[9].
What education do you need to be a concrete finisher?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry[6]. In an O*NET survey of 26 workers, 52% said less than a high school diploma is required[15].
Is concrete finishing in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][30]. About 13,600 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for concrete finishers?
Hawaii had the highest median at $95,890, then Alaska at $92,960 and Illinois at $78,170[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers in the US was $57,020 per year and $27.41 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers is projected to grow 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 204,800 to 208,100 jobs (a change of +3,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers: 10th percentile $39,190, 25th percentile $47,010, 75th percentile $66,870, 90th percentile $85,480. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 13,600 openings for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers was $60,050 per year and $28.87 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers: 10th percentile $18.84, 25th percentile $22.60, 75th percentile $32.15, 90th percentile $41.10. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers jobs: California 28,700; Texas 26,430; Florida 15,240; New York 9,060; Arizona 7,520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Urban Honolulu, HI $96,260; Anchorage, AK $92,250; Yakima, WA $87,830; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $81,020; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $80,860; Janesville-Beloit, WI $77,990; Bellingham, WA $77,910; Kennewick-Richland, WA $77,440. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 8,390 (median $65,670); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,920 (median $48,770); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,810 (median $63,790); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 7,700 (median $46,600); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 6,120 (median $59,260); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 4,740 (median $59,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 47-2051.00 survey of workers (26 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 52%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 35%, Post-Secondary Certificate 13% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Masonry Workers" covers Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of masonry workers in 2025: Poured concrete foundation and structure contractors 31%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: 1.5% of Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 206,170 people were employed as Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers: 2.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers: Sourcing change - share decreases as more precast and prefabricated concrete products are installed and fewer workers are needed onsite to build forms and pour concrete. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.