Brick Mason Career Assessment
Building with brick, block, and stone
Welcome
Brick masons and block masons build walls, chimneys, and buildings out of brick, concrete block, and stone.
It is a small but well-paid trade in North Dakota. You will explore whether it fits you.
This takes about 15 minutes.
What is a Brick Mason?
A mason lays bricks and concrete blocks in straight, strong rows, held together with mortar. They build walls for schools, stores, and homes. They also build fireplaces and chimneys and fix old brick. Good masonry work can last for 100 years or more.
The Reality: This is one of the most physical trades. You will lift heavy blocks all day. Mortar cannot freeze, so in winter jobs may slow down or need heaters and tarps. There are only a few hundred masons in North Dakota.
Your Responsibilities:
- Read blueprints and plans
- Mix mortar and grout
- Lay brick, block, and stone in straight rows
- Cut brick and block with saws
- Check work with a level and string line
- Build walls, chimneys, and fireplaces
- Fix and repoint old brick walls
- Set up and work on scaffolds
You build walls that stand strong for generations.
A Day in the Life
7:00 AM — Arrive at a school addition being built. Check the plan with your foreman.
7:30 AM — Help set up the scaffold and stock it with block and mortar.
8:00 AM — Lay concrete block along a string line. Check each row with a level.
10:00 AM — Short break. Mix a new batch of mortar.
12:00 PM — Lunch.
12:30 PM — Cut blocks to fit around a window opening.
3:00 PM — Clean the joints and brush the wall.
4:30 PM — Cover the new wall with tarps so it is safe from rain and frost.
Steady, heavy, hands-on work where your wall grows all day.
Training in North Dakota
No state license is needed, but most masons train through an apprenticeship. Masons learn by doing. Most learn through a union apprenticeship or on the job with a masonry contractor. We could not find a North Dakota college with a masonry program.
Training Pathways:
- Union apprenticeship: The MN/ND Bricklayers (BAC Local 1) training center serves North Dakota. It lists about 6,000 hours of paid work plus training.
- On-the-job training: Start as a mason tender (helper) carrying block and mixing mortar, then learn to lay.
- Related college program: NDSCS Building Construction Technology covers concrete and general building skills, but not full masonry.
Where to Train in North Dakota:
- MN/ND BAC Apprentice Training Center (Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 1, New Hope, MN) — union apprenticeship that serves Minnesota and North Dakota (bactraining.org)
- ND masonry contractors — mason tender (helper) jobs with on-the-job training
- No ND college offers a masonry program. The nearest option is the BAC training center in the Minneapolis area.
Before You Start: High school diploma or GED. Must be physically fit. Reliable transportation, since you may travel to jobs in Minnesota and North Dakota. Drug screening is required for the union program.
Tip: Start with financial aid, scholarships, and any help an employer offers — that is where the money starts. After that, ask a career counselor or Job Service North Dakota whether WIOA or other programs can help with what is left over, like training, tools, work boots, or exam fees. What can be paid for depends on the program and on your own situation, so ask before you sign up rather than after. Registered apprenticeships let you earn a paycheck while you learn — see jobsnd.com/job-seeker/apprenticeships for ND programs.
Certification & Licensing
No mason license is required in North Dakota. You do not need a state license to work as a mason. You need a contractor license to run your own business on bigger jobs.
Helpful Credentials:
- OSHA 10-Hour Construction — basic job site safety
- Scaffold safety training — masons work on scaffolds every day
- Journeyman card — earned when you finish a registered apprenticeship
- ND contractor license — needed from the ND Secretary of State to run your own business on any job over $4,000
The Exams: No state exam for masons. Apprentices are tested on skills in class and on the job.
Cost: OSHA 10 classes are often low cost or paid by the employer. A Class D contractor license (jobs up to $100,000) costs $100 to start.
Keeping It Current: Contractor licenses renew every year by March 1.
Salary & Job Outlook
North Dakota Brickmason and Blockmason Pay (May 2025):
- Starting out (bottom 10–25%): $24.83–$27.65/hour ($51,640–$57,500/year)
- Middle (median — half earn more, half earn less): $38.43/hour ($79,940/year)
- Experienced (top 25–10%): $39.59–$44.11/hour ($82,350–$91,750/year)
What that means: ND masons earn well above the U.S. median. Pay starts lower for helpers and apprentices. Winter slow-downs can cut hours, so yearly pay depends on how much you work.
Jobs in North Dakota: About 260 people do this work in ND today. By 2034, that should be about 280 (about 6% growth). Expect about 20 job openings every year in ND from growth and people retiring or changing jobs. Across the U.S., the change is about 3% growth.
Outlook: Fair. This is a small trade in North Dakota, with about 20 openings a year. Skilled masons are hard to find, so good workers are valued.
Who Hires in ND: Masonry contractors, commercial construction companies, and home builders. Most jobs are in bigger cities like Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot.
Work Setting: Outdoor job sites, often on scaffolds. Cold and wind in winter. Some travel, including to Minnesota for union work.
Physical Demands: Very high. Lifting heavy block all day, bending, standing, and working on scaffolds. Hard on the back, knees, and wrists.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Dakota, May 2025 (SOC 47-2021); North Dakota and U.S. long-term employment projections 2024–2034, via O*NET OnLine. Numbers are rounded.
Where This Leads
Path 1: Journeyman Mason — Work with full skills and pay.
Path 2: Foreman — Lead a masonry crew.
Path 3: Stone Mason — Do custom stone work.
Path 4: Restoration Mason — Fix old and historic buildings.
Path 5: Estimator — Figure out costs and bid on jobs.
Path 6: Masonry Contractor — Run your own business.
The Real Talk
What's Great:
- Strong pay in ND
- Earn while you learn
- Your work lasts for generations
- Skilled masons are in demand
- Can run your own business
- Clear results every day
What's Hard:
- Very heavy lifting
- Few jobs in ND
- Winter slow-downs
- May travel for work
- Hard on your body over time
- No ND college program
Be Honest: Can you lift heavy blocks all day? Are you OK with work that slows down in winter? Would you travel for training or jobs?