Brickmason Career Guide

Are you a hands-on person? Do you have an excellent eye for detail? Do you enjoy building beautiful things?

If YES, then a career as a brickmason is one that offers many opportunities. To become a brickmason you will need a high school diploma or equivalent. To have the best opportunities at getting an apprenticeship, it is advisable to have some work experience in the construction industry. Brickmasons learn all their skills through apprenticeship programs. They continue to develop their skills throughout their career, often progressing into more senior positions.

“The important thing is to take the bricklayer and make him understand that he’s building a home, not just laying bricks.”

Herb Kelleher

A brickmason uses bricks, concrete blocks, structural tiles, and natural and man-made stones to build buildings, fences, walls, patios, walkways and other structures. Brickmasons may also repair and restore older brick structures. Typically, brickmasons will specialize in either doing residential projects or large-scale projects. However, despite their specialization, the typical duties and responsibilities of a brickmason include:

Brickmasons are crucial members of the workforce because they have the unique skills that aid the growth and development of society by playing a vital role in building the homes we live in. They are also responsible for restoring old buildings, that we can then use to live, work or play in. The work of brickmasons allows us to deal with and support the growing population by providing safe and attractive environments.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of masonry workers is projected to decline 3 percent from 2019 to 2029. This is expected because, although masonry is still a popular interior and exterior material, changes in products and installation practices are expected to decrease the need for masons. For example, it is becoming more popular to use thin bricks, which allows buildings to have the look of a brick wall but at a lower cost. Building this requires less masonry workers, reducing the number of jobs available.

Additionally, the increased use of prefabricated panels will reduce the demand for most masonry workers. These panels are created offsite by either contractors or manufacturers in climate-protected environments, but fewer masons are needed to install the panels at the construction site.

As with many other construction workers, employment of masons is sensitive to the fluctuations of the economy. On the one hand, workers may experience periods of unemployment when the overall level of construction falls. On the other hand, during peak periods of building activity some areas may require additional number of these workers.

The career path to become a brickmason begins with a high school diploma or equivalent. Many technical schools offer programs in masonry.

After achieving the relevant high school education, masons typically learn the trade through apprenticeships and on the job, working under the supervision of experienced masons. During apprenticeship programs, aspiring brickmasons will learn construction basics, such as blueprint reading; mathematics for measurement; building code requirements; and safety and first-aid practices. After completing an apprenticeship program, masons are considered journey workers and are able to do tasks on their own. Several groups, including unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs and the Home Builders Institute and the International Masonry Institute offer pre-apprenticeship training programs for eight construction trades, including masonry.

Overall, job prospects will be better for workers with extensive construction experience. Some workers start out as construction workers before starting their training to become a brickmason.

Below is a list of common job titles in the Brickmason field. Click the links below for more information about these job titles, or view the next section for actual real-life job profiles.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for masonry workers was $46,500 in 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,250, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $78,250. Brickmasons specifically earned a median annual salary of $53,100.

The top paying industries were masonry contractors, where the median annual wage was $51,100. Followed by construction of buildings ($49,840), poured concrete foundation and structure contractors ($44,610) and heavy and civil engineering construction ($44,590).

The level of flexibility in masonry varies depending on the level of experience a brickmason has. For instance, experienced brickmasons will obviously have more task flexibility than apprentices. Similarly, a self-employed/contractor brickmason is likely to have more flexibility than those who work for a large company. Brickmasons who are independent contractors/self-employed will have more flexibility and autonomy. However, the downside to this is that they will be responsible for forming and managing relationships with builders and suppliers to ensure materials are available at affordable prices and that ongoing work is available.

According to Zippia, the best states to be a brickmason, based on average annual salary and job availability, are:

The worst states, according to Zippia, are Kanas, Iowa, Mississippi, Hawaii and Illinois.

Most brickmasons will work full time, which may include evenings and weekends, to meet each clients’ deadline. Brick masonry work is incredibly strenuous. Masons often lift heavy materials and stand, kneel, and bend for long periods. The work may be either indoors or outdoors in areas that are dusty, dirty, or muddy. Extreme weather conditions may impact building construction timelines, which in turn may affect a brickmasons hours.

Which personalities tend to succeed and thrive in Brickmason careers? Based on our research, there is a relatively strong positive correlation between the following personality types and Brickmason career satisfaction. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t many exceptions, of course, but if you fit into one of the following personality types then we suggest you give strong consideration to a career in Brickmason.

There has been no scientific exploration into exactly what personality types will make a successful brickmason. However, the Myers Briggs personality type of ISTP, or otherwise known as ‘the craftsperson’, is likely to be a successful brickmason. This is because these types are able to tackle problems in their immediate environment, with an innate mechanical ability and they enjoy building and fixing objects. ISTPs are typically very attentive to detail, independent, adaptable and self-directed, which are key skills for brickmason.

As brickmasons enter the profession without much education, learn a lot of skills in a short space time and get to use these skills reasonably quickly, there is a high sense of accomplishment and mastery. Furthermore, brickmasons can progress easily into supervisor, superintendent, or other construction management positions. Experienced masonry workers may choose to become independent contractors. Masonry workers in a union may also find opportunities for advancement within their union. This quick career progression offers a high sense of accomplishment and mastery.

As brickmasons have a unique set of skills the help to progress society and build safe buildings, there is a lot of meaning and contribution in their work. On top of this, brickmasons will also do work for residential homes. This work will have a huge impact on the lives of their clients, which is very meaningful.

Brickmasons tend to work full time. Due to weather conditions, such as extreme heat, brickmasons tend to start work earlier than other professions. This means that masonry can offer a good life fit, as masons will typically have evenings free to spend time with family or do leisure activities.

In order to thrive as a brickmason, it is essential that you are physically fit and have the stamina to lift heavy building material and to keep up with the general demands of the job. On top of this, those who are good at mathematics and have the ability to pay excellent attention to detail will thrive, as a brickmason needs to follow specific instructions and blueprints. Finally, excellent communication skills will help brickmasons thrive as they can clearly communicate with their clients and other construction workers about the progress and requirement of their projects.

You are likely to struggle with working as a brickmason if you don’t enjoy working outside, especially in extreme and unpredictable weather conditions. Similarly, if you do not like to pay attention to detail or have patience, then as a job a brickmason requires the work to be finished to the highest of standards, you might struggle in this career. Finally, as brickmasons need to lift heavy materials, if you are not physically fit you may struggle to keep up with the demands of the job.

Aspiring brickmasons will learn a lot of skills through their apprenticeships. However, it is also important to have skills such as:

Brickmasons need a high school diploma or equivalent in order to apply for apprenticeship programs. Many technical schools offer programs in masonry. Aspiring masons then typically learn the trade through apprenticeships and on the job, working under the supervision of experienced masons.

During apprenticeship programs, aspiring brickmasons will learn construction basics, such as blueprint reading; mathematics for measurement; building code requirements; and safety and first-aid practices. After completing an apprenticeship program, masons are considered journey workers and are able to do tasks on their own. Several groups, including unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs and the Home Builders Institute and the International Masonry Institute offer pre-apprenticeship training programs for eight construction trades, including masonry.

There are no specific certification or licensing requirements for brickmasons in the United States.

A career as a brickmason is a fun, hands-on and exciting career. It is one that is accessible to most people and offers many opportunities. For example, brickmasons can progress to supervisory or management roles or to becoming independent contractors.

If becoming a brickmason appeals to you, then we recommend starting to gather some work experience in the construction industry. It will also be beneficial to start researching apprenticeship schemes in your area.

To become a brickmason, you will need a high school diploma or equivalent. After achieving this, brickmasons should complete apprenticeship programmes where they ‘shadow’ experienced brickmasons and learn the skills needed for the job.

Brickmasons learn all their skills through apprenticeship programs. They continue to develop their skills throughout their career, often progressing into more senior positions.