Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers Salary
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC make a median of $44,570 a year, or about $21.43 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $50,367 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 35.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for cement masons and concrete finishers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 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 $1,095/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 cement masons and concrete finisherss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cement masons and concrete finishers in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level cement masons and concrete finishers (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $41K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a cement masons and concrete finisher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cement masons and concrete finishers typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $906/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 121% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $45K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for cement masons and concrete finishers?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do cement masons and concrete finishers make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $44,570 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,100, and experienced cement masons and concrete finishers can clear $56,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,987/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 36.7% 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 cement masons and concrete finishers salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $50,367 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.