# Brickmasons and Blockmasons

US SOC code 47-2021. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/47-2021

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **52,550** US brickmasons and blockmasons, with median pay of **$62,120** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **118,080**, in May 2006. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1904/dec/occupations.html) of **188,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for brickmasons and blockmasons: Forklift-delivered palletized masonry, 1975 to 2015.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=47-2021&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **0.82** estimated probability that the whole occupation could be computerised, over an unspecified number of years. Not a forecast of job losses. [Frey and Osborne, 2013](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf) (Official statistic)

### Since the 2013 prediction

In 2013, Frey and Osborne put this job's probability of computerisation at 0.82. BLS counted **58,730** of these jobs in May 2013 and **52,550** in May 2025. The count moved sharply in one step, May 2020 to May 2021, when BLS changed how it estimates these counts, so no change is derived here. Figures: Official statistic.

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Brickmasons and Blockmasons employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1776
- Latest US employment: 52,550 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $62,120 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +1.1% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1893 | n/a | $864 (average) (estimate) | Est., Estimated annual earnings for a Buffalo [5] |
| 1900 | 188,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1900 [1] |
| 1950 | 255,000 | $5,200 (average) | Decennial Census 1950 (employment) [2]; BLS historical bulletin 1950 (pay) [6] |
| 1970 | n/a | $14,560 (average) | BLS historical bulletin 1709 [7] |
| 2000 | 162,000 | n/a | BLS CPS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 107,900 | $41,550 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 107,660 | $41,740 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 115,950 | $41,860 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 118,080 | $42,980 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 116,290 | $44,070 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 106,270 | $45,630 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 87,780 | $46,740 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 68,520 | $46,930 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 62,560 | $46,800 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 57,090 | $46,440 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 58,730 | $46,610 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 59,340 | $47,650 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 61,360 | $47,950 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 64,370 | $49,250 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 64,790 | $49,770 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 63,930 | $50,950 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 60,650 | $53,100 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 59,940 | $55,080 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 55,950 | $59,340 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 55,530 | $59,000 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 56,830 | $59,640 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 53,520 | $60,800 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 52,550 | $62,120 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (70)

### Employment series

1. [US Census Bureau, 1900 Census Special Reports: Occupations at the Twelfth Census (Table on Gainfully Occupied Persons by Occupation, 1904 publication)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1904/dec/occupations.html), United States Census Bureau
2. [US Census Bureau, 1950 Census of Population, Special Report: Occupational Characteristics (PC-7 series) -- skilled building trades, craftsmen and foremen category](https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/pc-07/pc-7-02.pdf), United States Census Bureau
3. [BLS Current Population Survey -- Employed full time: Wage and salary workers: Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons occupations: 16 years and over (series LEU0254505400A), annual 2000](https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LEU0254505400A), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Current Population Survey)
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [Estimated annual earnings for a Buffalo, NY bricklayer, 1893, derived from the reported hourly rate (36-45 cents/hr) in BLS Bulletin No. 53 (July 1904), 'Wages in the Building Trades, US and Europe 1890-1903', assuming a ~9-hour day and ~200 working days/year](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1890-1899), Author estimate derived from BLS Bulletin No. 53 (1904) hourly wage data
6. [BLS Bulletin No. 1011: "Union Wages and Hours: Building Trades, July 1, 1950" -- skilled building trades wage rates including bricklayers across 40+ occupations in 77 cities (FRASER archive)](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1011_1951.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER St. Louis Fed
7. [BLS Bulletin 1709: "Union Wages and Hours: Building Trades, July 1, 1970" -- bricklayer union wage rates by city (FRASER archive)](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1709_1971.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER St. Louis Fed
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

9. [McAree Mason Contractors: "The History of a Brick Mason. Bricklaying the Craft." (trade history overview)](https://mcareemason.com/the-history-of-a-brick-mason-bricklaying/), McAree Mason Contractors
10. [International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers: About Us (union history, founding 1865, craft traditions)](https://bacweb.org/about-us), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
11. [AE History Blog (History of Innovation): "1900: First Commercial Process for Manufacturing of Concrete Blocks" -- Harmon S. Palmer patent and the emergence of the CMU industry](https://aehistory.wordpress.com/1900/10/08/1900-first-commercial-process-for-manufacturing-of-concrete-blocks/), AE History / History of Innovation
12. [Duffy Engineering: "The History of Brick Masonry" (industrial revolution impact on brickmaking productivity)](https://duffyengco.com/2025/01/08/the-history-of-brick-masonry/), Duffy Engineering
13. [Mason Contractors Association of America: "History of Masonry" (overview of masonry trade evolution and tool changes through the 20th century)](https://masoncontractors.org/history/), Mason Contractors Association of America
14. [Masonry Magazine: "The Evolution of Concrete Masonry Units" (CMU standardization, 8x8x16 block, post-war construction boom)](https://masonrymagazine.com/Default.aspx?pageID=35984), Masonry Magazine
15. [Construction Physics (Brian Potter): "Where Are The Robotic Bricklayers?" (history of masonry automation, role of forklift-delivered materials, barriers to robotics adoption)](https://www.construction-physics.com/p/where-are-the-robotic-bricklayers), Construction Physics / Substack
16. [Neuroject: "Bricklaying Robots in Construction Automation; 2024 Guide" (SAM100, Hadrian X deployment status and productivity figures)](https://neuroject.com/bricklaying-robots/), Neuroject

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 47-2021 Brickmasons and blockmasons (2025: 62.4 thousand; 2035: 63.1 thousand; +1.1%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=47-2021&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Frey & Osborne (2013), "The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?", Appendix (SOC 47-2021 Brickmasons and Blockmasons: probability 0.82, rank 455 of 702)](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf), Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford

### Historical notes

19. [International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers: About Us (history of early labor actions by masons in 1823 and 1835)](https://bacweb.org/about-us), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
20. [AE History Blog: "1900: First Commercial Process for Manufacturing of Concrete Blocks" -- Harmon S. Palmer patent history and industry growth to 1,500 manufacturers by 1905](https://aehistory.wordpress.com/1900/10/08/1900-first-commercial-process-for-manufacturing-of-concrete-blocks/), AE History / History of Innovation
21. [International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Wikipedia (BAC role in 1955 AFL-CIO merger; 156,000 members by 1960)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Bricklayers_and_Allied_Craftworkers), Wikipedia / International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
22. [Construction Physics (Brian Potter): "Where Are The Robotic Bricklayers?" (structural shift from full-masonry to curtain-wall and veneer construction as primary driver of masonry workforce contraction)](https://www.construction-physics.com/p/where-are-the-robotic-bricklayers), Construction Physics / Substack
23. [Neuroject: "Bricklaying Robots in Construction Automation; 2024 Guide" (SAM100 World of Concrete 2015 debut; Hadrian X Australian deployment; adoption barriers)](https://neuroject.com/bricklaying-robots/), Neuroject

### Predecessors & successors

24. [McAree Mason Contractors: "The History of a Brick Mason" (hod carrier to journeyman bricklayer progression as traditional entry path)](https://mcareemason.com/the-history-of-a-brick-mason-bricklaying/), McAree Mason Contractors

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.