Masonry major
Masonry: courses, careers, and where to study
Masonry programs train you to lay and set brick, concrete block, and stone with mortar, reading blueprints and building walls, foundations, and veneers to code.
A masonry program teaches you to build and finish structures from units bonded with mortar: clay brick, concrete masonry units (CMU), structural and decorative stone, glass block, and hard tile. You learn to mix and spread mortar to the right consistency, butter and lay units in common bonds, strike and tool joints, and keep work plumb, level, and to the line using a mason's trowel, level, line blocks, jointer, and brick hammer or chisel. Coursework covers technical math for estimating brick and block counts, blueprint reading, foundations and footings, reinforced and grouted block, flashing and weep holes for moisture control, and applicable building codes. Where Carpentry frames and finishes wood and an Electrician runs wiring to electrical code, this trade is about masonry units, mortar, and the load-bearing and veneer walls they form.
Most masons enter through a registered apprenticeship or a community college certificate, then build skill on the job laying brick, block, and stone under experienced workers. Apprenticeships through groups such as the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers or contractor programs combine paid fieldwork with classroom hours, and OSHA construction safety training (often the OSHA 10 or 30) is commonly expected on jobsites. Some workers add NCCER credentials or scaffold and silica-awareness training. Unlike Construction Management, which plans and oversees projects from an office, masonry is physical field work outdoors in varied weather. Pay and demand vary by employer, region, union status, and experience, and seasonal slowdowns are common in colder climates. A program is preparation and a starting point, not a guarantee of a specific job or wage.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of brickmasons and blockmasons, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $60,800 and projects employment to grow about 3.2% from 2024 to 2034; a high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Masonry maps to CIP 46.0101, Mason/Masonry, within the CONSTRUCTION TRADES family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in the laying and/or setting of exterior brick, concrete block, hard tile, marble and related materials, using trowels, levels, hammers, chisels, and other hand tools. Includes instruction in technical mathematics, blueprint reading, structural masonry, decorative masonry, foundations, reinforcement, mortar preparation, cutting and finishing, and applicable codes and standards.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Masonry is awarded as
Of the 301 Masonry credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate86%258
- Associate14%42
- Bachelor's<1%1
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Mixing, tempering, and spreading mortar and grout to proper consistency for different units and weather
- Laying brick and concrete block in running, common, and stack bonds, kept plumb and level to the line
- Using the mason's trowel, level, jointer, brick hammer, chisel, line blocks, and wet saw for cutting
- Building footings, foundations, and reinforced grouted block walls with rebar and bond beams
- Setting stone, marble, and hard tile, including veneer and decorative masonry patterns
- Estimating brick, block, and mortar quantities using technical math and blueprint takeoffs
- Installing flashing, weep holes, and control joints to manage moisture and movement in walls
- Striking and tooling mortar joints, then cleaning and pointing finished masonry surfaces
- Jobsite safety including scaffold use, silica dust control, and OSHA construction practices
Typical careers
- Brickmason or blockmason
- Stonemason
- Masonry apprentice
- Cement or concrete finisher
- Tile and marble setter
- Masonry foreman
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 brickmasons and blockmasons median $60,800).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Masonry, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $78,690 | 74,400 | +5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $60,800 | 5,600 | +3.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tile and Stone Setters | $52,240 | 4,200 | +10.1% | No formal educational credential |
| Stonemasons | $51,990 | 800 | -3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 4 of these 4 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Masonry does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Masonry major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Masonry program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Masonry department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Masonry program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Masonry credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Ivy Tech Community CollegeIN · 51
- Central Arizona CollegeAZ · 39
- Southeast Community College AreaNE · 20
- George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaAL · 18
- Central Carolina Community CollegeNC · 17
- City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeIL · 15
- Piedmont Technical CollegeSC · 15
- Halifax Community CollegeNC · 13
- Williamson College of the TradesPA · 13
- Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeWI · 11
- Moraine Park Technical CollegeWI · 11
- Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyPA · 11
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Related majors
Carpentry
Carpentry is the trade of laying out, framing, and finishing wood and related structures from blueprints, building hands-on skill with hand and power tools, measurement, and building codes.
Electrician
Electrician programs train you to install, maintain, and repair the wiring, controls, and power systems in homes, businesses, and industrial sites, working safely to electrical code.
Construction Management
Construction Management blends building science, project planning, and business to prepare graduates to plan, budget, and oversee construction projects from groundbreaking to handover.
Welding Technology
Welding Technology trains you to join and cut metal with arc, oxyfuel, and other processes, building precise hands-on skill in fabrication, blueprint reading, and weld quality.
Civil Engineering Technology
Civil Engineering Technology is a hands-on, application-focused major that trains you to support the design, testing, and construction of public works like roads, bridges, and water systems.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Masonry degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Construction & Extraction careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Masonry degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Masonry path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.