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Refractory bricklayer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$61,290median pay per year, or $29.47 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,590lowest 10% earn less
  2. $50,05025th percentile
  3. $61,290median
  4. $75,00075th percentile
  5. $86,510top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Refractory materials repairers (except brickmasons), a group that includes the refractory bricklayer, had a median pay of $61,290 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to decline 13.7% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-13.7%[2]
Openings per year
100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do refractory bricklayers make?

The official BLS category is Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons. In May 2025 the median wage was $61,290 a year, or $29.47 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean wage was $63,770 a year, or $30.66 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,590 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $50,050[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $75,000, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $86,510[3]. BLS publishes percentile boundaries, not a starting salary[8].

Measure Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][9] $40,590 $19.52
25th percentile[3][9] $50,050 $24.06
Median[1] $61,290 $29.47
75th percentile[3][9] $75,000 $36.06
90th percentile[3][9] $86,510 $41.59

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]. About 1,080 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state

BLS published wages for only 6 states[12]. California was listed first at a median of $77,220[12]. Indiana followed at $74,600 and Texas at $67,330[12]. Ohio had the most jobs at 250, then Texas at 130 and Alabama at 110[13]. The median in Ohio was $58,470[12].

Two metro areas tied for the most jobs at 50 each[14]. Birmingham, AL had a median of $49,260 and the Houston area $67,380[14].

Show median pay in 6 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$77,220n/a
Indiana$74,60090
Texas$67,330130
Ohio$58,470250
Alabama$47,650110
South Carolina$37,87050

How to become a refractory bricklayer

BLS describes the typical path like this.

In an ONET survey of 24 workers, 75% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 17% said a post-secondary certificate and 7% said some college courses[15]. ONET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation[16]. The facts do not say how long the training lasts or whether any license is required.

What refractory bricklayers do

These workers build or repair furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, ladles and ovens using refractory materials[17]. Typical tasks listed by O*NET include:

Job titles reported by workers include ladle liner, furnace repairer and refractory technician[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 13.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,100 to 900 jobs, a drop of 200[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[20]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. BLS lists one factor: demand is expected to change because more metal products are 3D printed[21].

Openings still occur. BLS expects about 100 a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 4% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay above the all-occupation median[1][4] and entry with a high school diploma and no related experience[6]. The tradeoffs are a very small job market of about 1,080 jobs[11] and a projected decline of 13.7%[2]. Pay data exists for only 6 states[12], so local demand is worth checking.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a refractory bricklayer make an hour?
The median wage for the BLS category was $29.47 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $19.52 and the 90th was $41.59[9].
What education do you need to be a refractory bricklayer?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[6].
Is refractory bricklayer work in demand?
BLS projects a 13.7% decline from 2025 to 2035[2], with about 100 openings a year[5].
Which state pays refractory bricklayers the most?
California was listed first at a median of $77,220[12]. Ohio had the most jobs at 250[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons in the US was $61,290 per year and $29.47 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons is projected to decline 13.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,100 to 900 jobs (a change of -200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons: 10th percentile $40,590, 25th percentile $50,050, 75th percentile $75,000, 90th percentile $86,510. 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 100 openings for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons 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 Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; 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 Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons was $63,770 per year and $30.66 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 Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons: 10th percentile $19.52, 25th percentile $24.06, 75th percentile $36.06, 90th percentile $41.59. 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. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,080 people were employed as Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons jobs: Ohio 250; Texas 130; Alabama 110; Indiana 90; South Carolina 50. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons jobs: Birmingham, AL 50 (median $49,260); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 50 (median $67,380). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 49-9045.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 75%, Post-Secondary Certificate 17%, Some College Courses 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 49-9045.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 49-9045.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cell Reliner, Cupola Repairer, Furnace Repairer, Hot Repairman, Ladle Liner, Ladle Repairman, Refractory Bricklayer, Refractory Technician. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons: Demand change - share decreases as more metal products are 3D printed. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. 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.

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.