Construction Trades Workers

How to become a Stonemasons

Also called: Marble Installer, Marble Shop Worker, Mason, Mason Mechanic, Stone Derrickman, Stone Installer, Stone Mason, Stone Setter, Stonemason

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

Main tasks

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.
Shape, trim, face and cut marble or stone preparatory to setting, using power saws, cutting equipment, and hand tools.
Mix mortar or grout and pour or spread mortar or grout on marble slabs, stone, or foundation.
Construct and install prefabricated masonry units.

How to become one

Masons typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the trade either through an apprenticeship or on the job.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Monument Setter (Const). BLS lists an apprenticeship as the typical training for this occupation.
Apprenticeship: Stonemason. BLS lists an apprenticeship as the typical training for this occupation.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $57,390 a year The middle half earn $45,450 to $71,630.
About 9,300 people work in this job now, and about 8,800 are projected by 2035. (-5.4%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Stonemasons?

Masons typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the trade either through an apprenticeship or on the job.

How much does a Stonemasons earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $57,390 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $45,450 to $71,630.

Is a Stonemasons a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 9,300 to about 8,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Stonemasons?

Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Monument Setter (Const).

Will AI change the work of a Stonemasons?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.