ðïļ
Commercial Construction
Turner Construction, Skanska, DPR Construction
Stonemasons
Stonemasons cut, fit, lift, and finish stone for walls, monuments, foundations, and decorative work. The job mixes craftsmanship with heavy physical labor: one part is getting the lines and joints exact, and the other part is moving and setting very heavy material on site. Pay is decent for a trade, but the field is small and projected to shrink slightly, so openings are limited.
Also known as Stone MasonMasonry WorkerStone SetterMonument MasonMemorial Mason
Median Salary
$51,990
Mean $57,220
U.S. Workforce
~9K
0.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-3%
12.1K to 11.8K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Stonemasons 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 ~9K workers, with a median annual pay of $51,990 and roughly 0.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 12.1 K in 2024 to 11.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent plus apprenticeship, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Masonry Laborer and can progress toward Masonry Contractor / Restoration Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Operations Monitoring, Coordination, and Mathematics, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, and Judgment and Decision Making.
Core Responsibilities
- Measure and mark where stone walls, foundations, or monuments should go before any materials are set.
- Mix mortar or grout and spread it so stone pieces can be placed and locked in position.
- Move heavy stone sections into place with hoists, cranes, skids, or other lifting equipment.
- Drill holes in stone and install metal anchors or brackets to hold pieces securely.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Measure and mark where stone walls, foundations, or monuments should go before any materials are set.
02 Mix mortar or grout and spread it so stone pieces can be placed and locked in position.
03 Move heavy stone sections into place with hoists, cranes, skids, or other lifting equipment.
04 Drill holes in stone and install metal anchors or brackets to hold pieces securely.
05 Clean off extra mortar and smooth the joints so the finished surface looks even and polished.
06 Dig trenches or other foundation openings and help prepare the base before stone work starts.
Industries That Hire
ðïļ
Historic Restoration
EverGreene Architectural Arts, AECOM, Gilbane Building Company
ð
Residential Construction
Lennar, PulteGroup, Toll Brothers
ðŠĶ
Memorials and Cemeteries
Service Corporation International, Matthews International, StoneMor
ð
Infrastructure and Public Works
Kiewit, Jacobs, WSP
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma and apprenticeship training instead of a college degree.
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The pay is solid for a hands-on trade, with a median of $51,990 and a mean of $57,220.
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The work is concrete and visible: you can point to a wall, monument, or restoration job and see exactly what you built.
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Every day is varied, with layout, lifting, cutting, anchoring, and finishing all part of the job.
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Specialty work like restoration and memorials can give experienced workers a niche that is harder to replace than general labor.
Challenges
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Employment is expected to dip from 12.1 thousand to 11.8 thousand by 2034, so the trade is not growing.
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There are only about 0.8 thousand annual openings, which means job opportunities can be limited and competitive.
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The work is physically hard: you spend a lot of time lifting, digging, carrying, and working in awkward positions.
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Weather and outdoor site conditions can make the job uncomfortable or slow down work, especially on restoration and monument projects.
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The career ceiling can be fairly narrow unless you move into crew leadership or start your own business, because there are not many large-path promotion tracks.
Career Progression
Masonry Laborer
0-2 years
$32K-$40K
You help prepare materials, move stone, and keep the work area ready while learning how masonry crews work.
Apprentice Stonemason
1-4 years
$40K-$49K
You start doing supervised stone setting, mortar work, layout, and finishing as your precision and speed improve.
Stonemason THIS ROLE
3-8 years
$50K-$62K
You handle layout, cutting, setting, anchoring, and finishing stone on your own, often on monuments, facades, or restoration jobs.
Lead Stonemason / Foreman
8-15 years
$62K-$76K
You oversee a crew, check quality, solve fit and finish problems, and keep the job moving safely and on schedule.
Masonry Contractor / Restoration Supervisor
15+ years
$76K-$95K
You bid work, manage crews, and handle larger restoration or specialty stone projects with more client contact and business responsibility.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent plus apprenticeship
This is the standard starting route for the trade: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry point, followed by apprenticeship training on the job.
Registered masonry apprenticeship
A paid apprenticeship is a realistic way in if you want to learn stone layout, cutting, mortar work, and safety while you earn.
Vocational certificate in masonry or construction trades
Trade school can help you get hired faster, but you will still need hands-on field training because the work depends on skill with stone, tools, and site conditions.
Key Skills
Technical
Operations Monitoring 53%
Coordination 53%
Mathematics 50%
Precision Measuring, Levels & Layout Tools 48%
Masonry Saws, Grinders & Stone Cutting Tools 45%
Mortar Mixing, Trowels & Tuck Pointers 44%
Drill Anchors, Hoists & Material Handling Equipment 43%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingTime ManagementActive ListeningTeamwork Job Outlook and Trends
+-3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 12.1K to 11.8 K over the next decade, representing -3% growth. Around 0.8 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.