Brickmasons and Blockmasons Salary
In Columbia, SC, brickmasons and blockmasons earn $48,590 at the median, or about $23.36 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $51,879 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 38.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About brickmasons and blockmasons
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for brickmasons and blockmasons in Columbia runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for brickmasons and blockmasonss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for brickmasons and blockmasons in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $50K | $53K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $49K | $48K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $47K | $50K |
| Spartanburg | $48K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level brickmasons and blockmasons (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Brickmasons and Blockmasons pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Brickmasons and Blockmasons salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $95K | +53% | 1,040 |
| Massachusetts | $95K | +53% | 1,570 |
| Illinois | $90K | +45% | 2,490 |
| New York | $84K | +36% | 3,790 |
| Washington | $83K | +34% | 600 |
| Wisconsin | $80K | +29% | 1,050 |
| North Dakota | $80K | +29% | 150 |
| Oregon | $79K | +28% | 650 |
| Rhode Island | $79K | +28% | 220 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +28% | 120 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +24% | 520 |
| Indiana | $73K | +18% | 1,770 |
| Missouri | $72K | +17% | 1,940 |
| Ohio | $71K | +14% | 2,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | +12% | 2,910 |
| Iowa | $69K | +12% | 290 |
| California | $69K | +11% | 3,820 |
| Connecticut | $68K | +9% | 480 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | +8% | 140 |
| Delaware | $67K | +7% | 200 |
| Colorado | $65K | +5% | 870 |
| District of Columbia | $64K | +4% | 200 |
| Tennessee | $64K | +3% | 1,050 |
| Michigan | $64K | +2% | 2,240 |
| Idaho | $63K | +1% | 320 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -1% | 350 |
| Nevada | $61K | -2% | 810 |
| Utah | $60K | -3% | 1,590 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -3% | 320 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -3% | 230 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -4% | 780 |
| Vermont | $60K | -4% | 100 |
| Arizona | $59K | -5% | 1,190 |
| Kansas | $59K | -5% | 330 |
| Maryland | $59K | -5% | 1,650 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -8% | 240 |
| Texas | $56K | -9% | 4,300 |
| Montana | $56K | -10% | 140 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -11% | 450 |
| Virginia | $55K | -12% | 2,350 |
| Florida | $53K | -15% | 2,610 |
| Georgia | $51K | -18% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -19% | 580 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -20% | 1,760 |
| Alabama | $50K | -20% | 370 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -21% | 410 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -21% | 160 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -25% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -28% | 270 |
| Maine | $43K | -31% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track brickmasons and blockmasons salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a brickmasons and blockmason afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for brickmasons and blockmasons in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new brickmasons and blockmasons typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is brickmasons and blockmason a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $49K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for brickmasons and blockmasons?
Columbia pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do brickmasons and blockmasons make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $48,590 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced brickmasons and blockmasons can clear $86,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,300/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 38.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a brickmasons and blockmasons salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median brickmasons and blockmasons salary is worth about $51,879 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do brickmasons and blockmasons get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.