Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers Salary
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $44,420 a year, or about $21.36 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $45,526 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 55.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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 cement masons and concrete finishers
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for cement masons and concrete finishers in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 57.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cement masons and concrete finisherss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cement masons and concrete finishers in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $48K | $50K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $47K | $48K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $46K | $50K |
| Winston-Salem | $45K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level cement masons and concrete finishers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $96K | +68% | 650 |
| Alaska | $93K | +63% | 240 |
| Illinois | $78K | +37% | 5,890 |
| Washington | $78K | +36% | 4,440 |
| Oregon | $69K | +20% | 2,170 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +17% | 3,070 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | +13% | 4,490 |
| New York | $64K | +12% | 9,060 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +12% | 1,590 |
| Ohio | $63K | +10% | 6,060 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +10% | 250 |
| California | $63K | +10% | 28,700 |
| District of Columbia | $62K | +8% | 320 |
| Montana | $62K | +8% | 780 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | +8% | 5,180 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +8% | 2,390 |
| Missouri | $61K | +8% | 6,220 |
| Indiana | $61K | +7% | 4,390 |
| Nevada | $61K | +7% | 3,290 |
| Vermont | $61K | +7% | 270 |
| Colorado | $61K | +6% | 5,140 |
| Michigan | $60K | +5% | 6,350 |
| Arizona | $59K | +3% | 7,520 |
| Connecticut | $59K | +3% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +3% | 620 |
| Iowa | $58K | +2% | 2,110 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +1% | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $57K | +0% | 400 |
| Utah | $56K | -1% | 5,340 |
| Idaho | $56K | -1% | 2,540 |
| Maine | $56K | -2% | 730 |
| New Hampshire | $54K | -5% | 300 |
| Kansas | $52K | -9% | 3,610 |
| West Virginia | $52K | -9% | 760 |
| Maryland | $52K | -9% | 2,540 |
| Virginia | $51K | -11% | 4,020 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -13% | 3,200 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -13% | 1,930 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -14% | 1,540 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -14% | 910 |
| Florida | $49K | -15% | 15,240 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -16% | 3,920 |
| Texas | $48K | -17% | 26,430 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -17% | 2,550 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -18% | 4,610 |
| Georgia | $46K | -19% | 3,400 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -19% | 1,900 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -20% | 2,980 |
| Alabama | $45K | -22% | 2,110 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -23% | 930 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cement masons and concrete finishers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cement masons and concrete finisher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 57.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cement masons and concrete finishers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cement masons and concrete finishers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,272/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cement masons and concrete finisher a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $44K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for cement masons and concrete finishers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do cement masons and concrete finishers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $44,420 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,870, and experienced cement masons and concrete finishers can clear $58,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,978/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 57.5% 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 cement masons and concrete finishers salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 cement masons and concrete finishers salary is worth about $45,526 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cement masons and concrete finishers 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.