Construction and Extraction
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances, to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.
Also called: Block Layer, Block Mason, Blockmason, Brick and Block Mason, Brick Mason, Bricklayer
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $96,960
- $46.62/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 1,060
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +5.3%
- 120 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Apprenticeship
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $62,720 | $77,290 | $96,960 | $136,120 | $136,870 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.
- Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners using a line from corner to corner to guide each course, or layer, of brick.
- Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface.
- Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses.
- Break or cut bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using trowel edge, hammer, or power saw.
- Interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications and to calculate the materials required.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Lower exposure2 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 2
- Language-model AIOE 1
- GPTs-are-GPTs 3
Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)
AI exposure for this job is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools could help with calculating angles and courses or planning a layout. They do not lay brick, spread mortar, or cut blocks to fit. The skilled hand work is the core of the job.
Likely to change
- Layout and angle calculations
- Planning courses and alignment
Still relies on people
- Laying brick and spreading mortar by hand
- Cutting and fitting blocks on site
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
Related jobs that build on what you already do.
Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Measuring, checking alignment, and reading plans carry over. Pay is $120,840, and training is through an apprenticeship.
- Pay difference
- +$23,880 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +6.1%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Who employs brickmasons and blockmasons on Boston construction projects
Hours worked on projects covered by the Boston Residents Jobs Policy over the last 24 months. This shows who has employed brickmasons and blockmasons, not who has openings.
540,947 worker hours from Oct 20, 2024 to Oct 19, 2026 (trades: Bricklayer, Mason).
- 12.6%
- of hours by boston residents
- 34.6%
- of hours by people of color
- 4.6%
- of hours by women
| Employer | Worker hours | Boston resident share | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grande Masonry, Llc | 143,727 | 8.6% | 6 |
| Heritage Restoration LLC | 38,720 | 21.1% | 9 |
| P.J. Spillane Company, Inc. | 35,472 | 16.7% | 10 |
| Phoenix Bay State Construction (SubContracting) | 33,070 | 14.0% | 5 |
| Xquisite Landscaping | 32,696 | 8.7% | 16 |
| Beacon Waterproofing And Restoration | 21,054 | 31.3% | 17 |
| Carriglio Construction Corporation | 19,261 | 11.5% | 1 |
| NER Construction Management, Inc. | 18,004 | 6.7% | 9 |
Related occupations
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
- Stonemasons
- Tile and Stone Setters
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Carpenters
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
- Construction Laborers
- Plasterers and Stucco Masons
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
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