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Commercial Construction
Turner Construction, Skanska, Clark Construction
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
Cement masons and concrete finishers shape, level, smooth, and repair concrete before it hardens, often working on slabs, sidewalks, roads, and foundations. The job is defined by timing and precision: once the concrete starts setting, there is little room for mistakes, and weather can change the outcome fast. It is steady hands-on work, but it is physically hard, outdoors, and not very forgiving when a pour goes wrong.
Also known as Concrete FinisherCement FinisherCement MasonConcrete MasonConcrete Finishing Laborer
Median Salary
$54,660
Mean $59,360
U.S. Workforce
~205K
14.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+1.8%
206.7K to 210.4K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~205K workers, with a median annual pay of $54,660 and roughly 14.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 206.7 K in 2024 to 210.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No formal educational credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Construction Laborer and can progress toward Construction Superintendent. High-value skills usually include Jobsite Monitoring & Quality Control, Formwork Setup, Grade Checking & Alignment, and Concrete Placement, Finishing & Curing, paired with soft skills such as Coordination, Speaking, and Time Management.
Core Responsibilities
- Set up the wood or metal forms that hold wet concrete and make sure they are level, lined up, and the right depth.
- Watch the weather and the concrete as it cures so heat, cold, wind, or rain do not ruin the finish.
- Guide trucks and crew members during a pour so the concrete goes where it should and spreads evenly.
- Use hand tools and power tools to level, smooth, and texture fresh concrete after it has been placed.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Set up the wood or metal forms that hold wet concrete and make sure they are level, lined up, and the right depth.
02 Watch the weather and the concrete as it cures so heat, cold, wind, or rain do not ruin the finish.
03 Guide trucks and crew members during a pour so the concrete goes where it should and spreads evenly.
04 Use hand tools and power tools to level, smooth, and texture fresh concrete after it has been placed.
05 Patch cracks, fill holes, and apply sealers or waterproofing products to restore old concrete surfaces.
06 Prepare a surface for the next layer or finish by wetting it, adding bonding material, and smoothing it clean.
Industries That Hire
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Heavy and Civil Engineering
Kiewit, Granite Construction, Flatiron Construction
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Residential Construction
D.R. Horton, Lennar, PulteGroup
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Specialty Trade Contractors
Baker Concrete Construction, Lithko Contracting, Kokosing
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Building Materials and Ready-Mix Concrete
CEMEX, CRH, Martin Marietta
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field without a degree, and BLS says no formal educational credential is typical for the job.
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The pay is solid for a trade job, with median annual pay of $54,660 and mean pay of $59,360.
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Demand is steady enough to support about 14.3 thousand annual openings, so new workers can find entry points.
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The work is concrete and visible: you finish a slab, sidewalk, wall, or repair and can see the result immediately.
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The job teaches practical skills that can lead to foreman or superintendent roles if you want to move up.
Challenges
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Growth is slow, with only 1.8% projected growth and about 3.8 thousand net new jobs by 2034, so advancement depends more on experience than on a booming market.
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The work is heavily weather-dependent; heat, cold, wind, and rain can change curing and force schedule changes at the last minute.
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It is physically punishing, with long periods of lifting, bending, kneeling, and working on hard surfaces that wear down your body over time.
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There is a real career ceiling if you stay strictly in hands-on finishing, since better pay often requires moving into supervision or running crews.
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The job is tied to construction cycles and local project demand, so work can slow sharply when building or infrastructure spending dips.
Career Progression
Construction Laborer
0-2 years
$34K-$44K
Beginners help move materials, clean sites, and support the crew before taking on more precise concrete work.
Cement Mason Apprentice
1-4 years
$45K-$52K
Apprentices learn how to set forms, place concrete, and finish surfaces safely under close supervision.
Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher THIS ROLE
3-7 years
$53K-$67K
At this level, workers handle pours, finishing, repairs, and weather-sensitive curing with limited supervision.
Concrete Finishing Foreman
7-12 years
$68K-$84K
Foremen coordinate the crew, schedule pours, check quality, and keep jobs moving on time.
Construction Superintendent
12+ years
$85K-$105K
Superintendents manage multiple crews and projects, balancing production, safety, materials, and deadlines.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
The most common entry point, held by 51.7% of workers in this role, though employers still expect moderate on-the-job training to learn the timing and finishing techniques.
High school diploma or equivalent
A common route for 35.02% of workers, especially for people who want a straightforward path into an apprenticeship or contractor hiring process.
Post-secondary certificate in concrete or construction trades
A smaller pathway used by 12.65% of workers, usually through trade programs that cover concrete finishing, safety, and site basics.
Apprenticeship or employer-sponsored trade training
A practical alternative for workers who want paid field experience plus classroom instruction, even though it is not the only way into the trade.
Key Skills
Technical
Jobsite Monitoring & Quality Control 56%
Formwork Setup, Grade Checking & Alignment 53%
Concrete Placement, Finishing & Curing 53%
Trowels, Screeds, Bull Floats & Power Tools 53%
Concrete Repair, Grout & Waterproofing Compounds 50%
Laser Levels, Chalk Lines & Measuring Tools 50%
Soft Skills
CoordinationSpeakingTime ManagementActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingCritical Thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+1.8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
14.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 206.7K to 210.4 K over the next decade, representing 1.8% growth. Around 14.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.