Concrete contractors (or concrete finishers specifically) are categorized as “masonry workers” by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As these workers are responsible for building key structures, they play an important role in the completion of construction projects.

But if you’re overseeing a construction project, you might be wondering what a fair amount to pay these workers would be. In other words, what is the average concrete finisher salary? As it turns out, there’s no one singular answer that will account for all the different factors that go into a worker’s amount of pay.

Nonetheless, it’s good to have a baseline to know where to start. For this reason, this blog post will go over how much concrete contractors charge per hour. 

For more information on concrete workers, check out our article on what a concrete contractor is.

How much does a concrete finisher make?

In general, a concrete finisher in the United States makes roughly $24 an hour, or around $49,000 annually. This can go to as high as $34 an hour, or as low as $13 an hour.

What affects a concrete worker’s hourly rate?

A concrete worker’s position on the pay scale is based on several factors, such as location, additional responsibilities, years of experience and skill level, and the actual employer. These factors are also what determine advancement and opportunities for increased pay. Here’s what you need to know about each variable.

Geographic location

Pay can vary depending on the city and state the contractor lives and works in. It’s important to note that while higher wages can indicate greater local demand for work, it also often scales to cost of living.

Here are the top 10 highest-paying cities for concrete contractors.

City	Approximate annual salary
Johnstonville, CA	$68,000
San Buenaventura, CA	$63,000
San Francisco, CA	$61,000
San Jose, CA	$59,000
Fremont, CA	$59,000
Oakland, CA	$58,000
Antioch, CA	$57,000
Lebanon, NH	$57,000
Hayward, CA	$56,000
Seattle, WA	$56,000

Specific responsibilities

Concrete finisher costs can also range based on specific responsibilities. 

For instance, a worker who has additional responsibilities like managing projects and overseeing teams will likely be paid more than someone who completes their assigned duties with no extra tasks.

Amount of experience and skill level

Generally, the more experienced a worker is, the higher their earning potential. 

A worker with over a decade of experience, for example, will likely have a higher salary compared to that of an entry-level worker, as someone with years of knowledge will typically be tasked with more complex duties.

Experience levels in construction are usually measured by the following categories:

• Entry-level: 0 to 2 years of experience
• Mid-level: 3 to 5 years of experience
• Senior: over 6 years of experience

Workers with specialized skills and certifications will also likely see boosted earnings and a higher concrete contractor salary. This might include optional certifications like the OSHA 10/30.

Whether or not a worker requires concrete contractor licensing to operate will depend on their location. For areas that make licensing optional, however, getting a license when it isn’t required can boost earning potential since it demonstrates initiative and shows that a worker possesses the right background knowledge to sufficiently carry out their tasks.

Note that laws and regulations are subject to constant change, so to know for sure whether your workers require licensing, it’s important to conduct research and obtain current information for your individual jurisdiction.

In terms of formal education, while in most locations, it’s not a requirement to start working as a concrete contractor, having an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree can potentially increase your salary. Of course, it’s important to weigh the time and money investment of a degree against the payoff.

Employer

The average pay for concrete finishers can ultimately depend on the employer they’re working for, particularly the size of the company they’re employed by.

In general, the bigger a company, the higher the salary they can expect, since larger firms tend to take on highly complex megaprojects. Larger companies also have more capacity to provide higher wages and additional benefits. But while this is true, contractors are often expected to work longer hours due to the size of the projects they’re placed on.

That’s not to say that smaller companies don’t offer competitive salaries though. In fact, in some cases, smaller firms may be willing to pay more since each individual worker becomes much more vital.

How hard is it to hire a concrete contractor?

Now that we’ve gone over the average concrete finisher salary, you might be wondering how easy it is to fill an opening. To answer this question, we need to look at demand based on numbers.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of masonry workers (including concrete contractors) is projected to decline by 2% between 2021 to 2031. However, they also project over 20,000 openings. 

Despite this small decline in demand, this job will still very much be needed, and the industry will need to find a way to fill in for labor gaps as workers retire or change over to other occupations.

Many young workers today are opting for non-construction jobs, so the industry will have to make some changes to make itself more attractive to prospective workers. This might include budgeting construction labor costs to account for a higher hourly rate for concrete contractors.

Need help managing your workers? Choose Bridgit Bench

Knowing the right concrete finisher salary to pay is the first step toward better labor management. Consider making use of additional technological solutions to streamline operations and obtain greater insight into your workforce.

Bridgit Bench is an all-in-one workforce management solution that allows you to efficiently manage and track construction personnel. View valuable information with reports and rearrange your workforce accordingly to capitalize on the strengths of your workers as needed.
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