Construction and extraction
Cement masons and concrete finishers
Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.
Median pay
$57,020
Growth to 2035
+2%
little or no change
Openings a year
13,600
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Cement masons and concrete finishers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to cement masons and concrete finishers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Cement masons and concrete finishers: 48% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
- Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.
- Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
- Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
- Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.
- Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.
- Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.
- Produce rough concrete surface, using broom.
Also called: Cement Finisher · Cement Mason · Concrete Finisher · Concrete Mason · Finisher · Mason
Outlook and AI
Cement masons and concrete finishers held 204,800 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 208,100 by 2035 (+2%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Sourcing change - share decreases as more precast and prefabricated concrete products are installed and fewer workers are needed onsite to build forms and pour concrete.
Compare with
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