by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 33 U.S. colleges awarded 422 degrees and certificates in Masonry. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 69% of graduates. College Factual ranks 13 schools in its 2027 Best Masonry Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $33,525 one year after completing and $33,254 after four years.
Are you interested in working with bricks, concrete, and natural stones? A degree in masonry may be a good fit for you. Masons work with stone products - both manmade and natural - to create outdoor and indoor projects such as walkways, paths, driveways, walls, and fireplaces.
Masons can be trained in a number of different specialties including brick masonry, cement, stone, and terrazzo finishing. As you can probably guess, brick masons work primarily with bricks and grout, cement masons work with cement, and stone masons work with natural and manufacture red stones. Terrazzo masons work with cement to create special finishes in wet cement. This may include the tinting of cement or installing decorative touches such as stone in-lays or other designs.
While masons may be able to enjoy working outdoors, the masonry field can be a dangerous and laborious place to be. The materials being used are heavy and difficult to move around. There are also increased chances of injury. Be sure you are up to the challenge before going down the path to be a mason.
Studying Masonry involves the study of Mason/masonry.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, masonry draws strong interest, with 422 degrees awarded annually. 33 colleges award masonry degrees, an average of 13 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 49.
By level, the 422 awards include 80 certificates, 37 associate degrees and 291 master’s degrees.
Women earned 8% of masonry degrees and certificates in the latest year (33 of 422). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (194) and Black or African American (107), and international students earned 3.
College Factual ranks 13 schools in its 2027 Best Masonry Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees. It also ranks masonry schools within 2 states. In all, 33 colleges offer masonry programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Masonry Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common masonry credential is the master’s degree: 291 of the 422 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to masonry call most for Coordination, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Building and Construction, Customer and Personal Service and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Near Vision, Problem Sensitivity and Oral Comprehension.
To be a successful mason, you must have strength, dexterity, and stamina. As mentioned earlier, you are dealing with heavy, cumbersome materials. Because masonry is a very hands-on trade, you must have good dexterity in your hands and have good hand-eye coordination.
Many masons get their start by being an apprentice to a professional mason, or by attending a trade school to learn the ins and outs of masonry. A school education will focus on the skills necessary to be successful. This will include coursework in mathematics, construction standards and safety.
Because much of job of being a mason requires hands-on experience, many trade schools offer apprenticeships as part of their program to ensure you will be successful out in the field.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a masonry degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 80 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 37 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 291 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to masonry, at 47.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 26.6% |
| Some college courses | 8.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.7% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Masonry, with an average median salary of $60,596; the strongest outlook belongs to Solar Energy Installation Managers, at 9.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Marble Installer, Marble Setter, Mason and Granite Countertop Installer.
The occupation related to masonry with the most projected jobs is Tile and Stone Setters, at 656,657.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Tile and Stone Setters | 656,657 | 3.0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 646,091 | 3.6% |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | 484,877 | 9.2% |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 424,326 | -4.6% |
| Stonemasons | 354,910 | -1.6% |
Masonry graduates earn a median $33,525 one year after completing their program, $33,254 after four years and $20,337 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,525 |
| 4 years | $33,254 |
| 5 years | $20,337 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to masonry is First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, with a median salary of $83,555.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,555 |
| Stonemasons | $64,233 |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | $57,985 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $50,255 |
| Tile and Stone Setters | $46,953 |
Masonry includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Mason/Masonry (422). It has 6 similar majors in the Construction Trades field, which together award 61,723 degrees a year; the largest are Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (40,602), Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection (7,804) and Carpenters (6,053). Browse all Construction Trades majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mason/Masonry | 422 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | 40,602 |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 7,804 |
| Carpenters | 6,053 |
| Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services | 4,194 |
| CONSTRUCTION TRADES | 2,765 |
| Construction Trades, Other | 305 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
