← All careers

Skilled Trades

Stonemasons

Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. Lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.

Median salary (BLS)

$57,390

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$39k – $86k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Stonemasons

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Stonemasons" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Stonemasons

    Entry / Junior

    $39,300

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Stonemasons

    Established

    $57,390

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Stonemasons

    Senior

    $71,785

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Set vertical and horizontal alignment of structures, using plumb bob, gauge line, and level.
  • •Lay out wall patterns or foundations, using straight edge, rule, or staked lines.
  • •Set stone or marble in place, according to layout or pattern.
  • •Remove wedges, fill joints between stones, finish joints between stones, using a trowel, and smooth the mortar to an attractive finish, using a tuck pointer.
  • •Clean excess mortar or grout from surface of marble, stone, or monument, using sponge, brush, water, or acid.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

Explore all

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.