Mason Salary in California

$33/hr

Read California brick-and-block employee wage ranges, then weigh paid hours, assigned masonry duties and benefits when reviewing a job offer.

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What Masons Earn in California

California brickmason and blockmason employee wages span $23.77–$52.02/hr, or $49,440–$108,200 a year. These figures cover brick and block work, excluding separate stone-setting and concrete-finishing occupations. Premium pay and benefits sit outside these earnings. The labels below organize comparisons without setting apprenticeship schedules. Match offers to masonry duties and employer training. Compare the offered rate with expected paid hours, overtime arrangements and tool expenses to compare the job's weekly return.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$23.77–$28.24/hr
▲ 3.98% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.24–$38.26/hr
▲ 3.98% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$38.26–$52.02/hr
▲ 3.98% from last year

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Mason
California · Day Shift
Base rate$33.25
+ BAC Local 4 Bricklayer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$5.51
+ BAC Local 3 Bricklayer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$4.96
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.38
Effective hourly$44.10
Straight · 40 hrs$1,764
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$529
Weekly gross$2,293
Annualised · 50 weeks
$114,660
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national masonry employee figures compare three employer industries. For California offers, ask which wall duties, paid travel arrangements and daily project schedules apply.

01 / 03$37.20/hr

Residential Building Construction

Housebuilding employers combine masonry with residential schedules. Ask how brickwork, preparation and moves between housing projects fit the paid day. For a California remodeling offer, identify the walls, repair duties and expected paid hours included.

+ Housing projects
+ Layout practice
– Weather interruptions
– Site changes
02 / 03$35.64/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews coordinate masonry walls with other trades. Discuss access, deliveries and inspection timing when comparing the hours offered. On California public works, obtain the applicable classification and current wage determination for assigned masonry duties.

+ Coordinated crews
+ Building variety
– Access constraints
– Delivery delays
03 / 03$29.52/hr

Structure and Exterior Contractors

Specialist masonry firms fall within this broader structural and exterior group. Ask about block walls, veneer assignments and travel between jobs. A California C-29 contracting license covers more crafts than these employee figures.

+ Masonry focus
+ Craft development
– Travel demands
– Changing assignments

Which states pay masons the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$33.20/hr
  2. 02Virginia$26.29/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
BAC Local 4 Bricklayer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$5.51$11,461$00 weeks
BAC Local 3 Bricklayer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$4.96$10,317$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.15$2,392$1594 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.38$790$594 weeks
Supported Scaffold User+$0.15$312$356 weeks
ACI Masonry Laboratory Testing Technician+$0.61$1,269$71530 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $33.20/hr.

40 hr week
$1,328
No OT
50 hr week
$1,826
+$24,900/yr
60 hr week
$2,324
+$49,800/yr
70 hr week
$2,822
+$74,700/yr

Questions workers ask

What is the minimum pay for a mason apprentice on private jobs?▾
Under Division of Apprenticeship Standards rules in Title 8 Section 208, your first-period wage package must be at least 40% of the journeyworker prevailing package. It rises in equal steps to at least 80% by the final period.
Does piecework remove California overtime protections?▾
No. Under IWC Wage Order 16, enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner, covered nonexempt employees retain overtime rights. The usual rules apply after eight daily or 40 weekly hours, with qualifying exceptions. Record preparation, mixing and cleanup alongside completed walls. Ask payroll how piece earnings enter the regular-rate calculation.
Can I quote these wages to a homeowner?▾
No. Quoting a homeowner is contracting, which needs a CSLB C-29 license above the minor-work limit. Build a separate estimate for labor, materials, equipment, insurance and overhead. Employee wage ranges describe pay for employed masons.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Brickmasons and Blockmasons, SOC 47-2021; excludes premium pay and benefits, stonemasons and concrete finishers.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.