Career profile for Cement Mason

What does a Cement Mason do?

Cement Masons smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools.

In addition, Cement Masons align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.

What kind of tasks does a Cement Mason perform regularly?

Cement Masons are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following 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, or straightedges.
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.
Apply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproof or restore surface.
Operate power vibrator to compact concrete.
Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete or pattern or stamp the surface to provide a decorative finish.
Wet surface to prepare for bonding, fill holes and cracks with grout or slurry, and smooth with a trowel.
Waterproof or restore concrete surfaces, using appropriate compounds.
Mix cement, sand, and water to produce concrete, grout, or slurry, using hoe, trowel, tamper, scraper, or concrete-mixing machine.
Chip, scrape, and grind high spots, ridges, and rough projections to finish concrete, using pneumatic chisels, power grinders, or hand tools.
Wet concrete surface and rub with stone to smooth surface and obtain specified finish.
Cut out damaged areas, drill holes for reinforcing rods, and position reinforcing rods to repair concrete, using power saw and drill.
Build wooden molds, and clamp molds around area to be repaired, using hand tools.
Clean chipped area, using wire brush, and feel and observe surface to determine if it is rough or uneven.

The above responsibilities are specific to Cement Masons. More generally, Cement Masons are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials		Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Handling and Moving Objects		Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Scheduling Work and Activities		Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Performing General Physical Activities		Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Handling and Moving Objects

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Scheduling Work and Activities

Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Performing General Physical Activities

Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

What is a Cement Mason salary?

The median salary for a Cement Mason is $46,000, and the average salary is $49,390. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Cement Mason salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Cement Masons earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Cement Masons earn less than $31,050 per year, 25% earn less than $36,810, 75% earn less than $58,710, and 90% earn less than $75,900.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Cement Masons is expected to change by -1.0%, and there should be roughly 17,200 open positions for Cement Masons every year.

Median annual salary: $46,000
Typical salary range: $31,050 - $75,900
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): -1.0%

What personality traits are common among Cement Masons?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Cement Mason are usually higher in their Realistic interests.

Cement Masons typically have very strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Cement Mason tend to value Relationships, Support, and Independence.

Most importantly, Cement Masons moderately value Relationships. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Second, Cement Masons moderately value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Lastly, Cement Masons moderately value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Cement Masons must consistently demonstrate qualities such as dependability, attention to detail, and persistence.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Cement Masons, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence		Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control		Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance		Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Self-Control

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Stress Tolerance

Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.

What education and training do Cement Masons need?

Working as a Cement Mason may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.

Cement Masons need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

Educational degrees among Cement Masons

37.4% did not complete high school or secondary school
41.1% completed high school or secondary school
15.8% completed some college coursework
2.3% earned a Associate's degree
3.3% earned a Bachelor's degree
0.1% earned a Master's degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Cement Masons

Cement Masons may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as building and construction, mathematics, or public safety and security knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Cement Masons might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Building and Construction		Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Public Safety and Security		Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Administration and Management		Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Important Abilities needed by Cement Masons

Cement Masons must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Cement Masons need abilities such as manual dexterity, trunk strength, and multilimb coordination in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Cement Masons, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Manual Dexterity		The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Trunk Strength		The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Multilimb Coordination		The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Arm-Hand Steadiness		The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Trunk Strength

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

Multilimb Coordination

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Critical Skills needed by Cement Masons

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Cement Masons frequently use skills like monitoring, speaking, and coordination to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Cement Masons, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Monitoring		Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination		Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Quality Control Analysis		Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Time Management		Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Cement Mason

Cement Mason

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