Masonry is one of the oldest building trades, and its union is one of the oldest in North America. The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) traces its founding to 1865. Today, a union bricklayer apprenticeship through BAC is a paid path into a trade that covers far more than laying brick: block, stone, tile, marble, terrazzo, restoration and refractory work. This guide explains the crafts, what the pay data shows, how BAC apprenticeships are structured, and the honest trade-offs.
The BAC crafts: more than brick
BAC is called "allied craftworkers" for a reason. Its local training programs cover a family of related crafts. BAC Local 3 in Northern California, for example, runs state-approved apprenticeships for these crafts:
| Craft | What the work is | Why someone picks it |
|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer | Brick and block walls, veneers, fireplaces and structural masonry; includes refractory work in some programs | Core of the trade, broadest demand |
| Refractory bricklayer | Heat-resistant linings in boilers, furnaces and kilns | Industrial shutdown work; specialized |
| Pointer-cleaner-caulker (restoration mason) | Repointing mortar, cleaning and caulking, mostly on older buildings | Restoration and historic work |
| Tile layer and tile finisher | Setting and finishing tile in commercial and institutional interiors | Indoor, detail-focused work |
| Marble mason and finisher | Setting and finishing marble and natural stone | High-end finish work |
| Terrazzo mechanic and finisher | Poured decorative floors made from stone chips in a binder, then ground and polished | Small, highly skilled niche |
Each finisher role typically supports the matching mechanic or mason. Finisher apprenticeships tend to be shorter, and some programs let a journey-level finisher move into the mason or mechanic program at a higher starting rate. In Local 3's terrazzo program, for instance, a journey terrazzo finisher enters the mechanic apprenticeship at 75 percent of the journey rate.
Union bricklayer pay: what BLS shows
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports these median annual wages (BLS, May 2025):
- Terrazzo workers and finishers: $76,170
- Brickmasons and blockmasons: $62,120
- Stonemasons: $57,390
- All masonry workers: $58,270, or $28.02 an hour
Across all masonry workers, the lowest 10 percent earned under $39,670 and the top 10 percent earned over $91,350. Brickmasons and blockmasons beat the $58,150 median for construction trades overall.
BLS does not separate union and nonunion pay, and it does not include benefits. A BAC member's compensation includes health and welfare plus pension contributions on top of the hourly rate. Ask the local for its current wage and fringe sheet, and use our guide to reading a local's wage scale to compare it fairly.
How a BAC apprenticeship works
BLS says masons mostly learn through apprenticeships sponsored by unions and contractor associations, covering blueprint reading, measurement math, building codes, and safety and first aid. Finishing one makes you a journey worker. BAC programs are run locally, so hours and steps differ by region. BAC Local 3's published standards show what the structure looks like in practice:
| Program (BAC Local 3, California) | Starting pay | First raise / completion |
|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer | 50% of journey rate (no prior experience) | First raise after 900 work hours and 78 school hours, then raises at each step |
| Pointer-caulker-cleaner | Set by step schedule | First raise after 875 work hours and 77 school hours |
| Terrazzo mechanic | 60% (no prior experience) | Raises at 700 work + 40 school hours, then 900 work + 80 school hours |
| Tile layer | Set by step schedule | Journey level after 5,000 on-the-job hours and 90 instruction credits |
| Tile finisher | Set by step schedule | Journey level after 2,100 on-the-job hours and 49 instruction credits |
The same brochure says the program offers a free education while you work, and apprentices are paid for their hours on the job while they progress through the steps.
Pre-apprenticeship: the on-ramp
Some BAC locals run a bricklayer pre-apprenticeship that teaches the basics before you are placed with a contractor. Local 3's version runs 8 to 12 weeks, Monday through Friday, at its Mason Development Center in Tracy, California. The brochure lists a daily stipend for successful completers, travel reimbursement for trainees living more than 40 miles away, lodging for those more than 90 miles away, a basic bricklayer tool set that graduates keep, and help finding work afterward. Not every local offers this, but if yours does, it is one of the most supported entry points in any trade.
Training also continues after you turn out. BAC locals coordinate with the International Masonry Institute (IMI) on safety and skills training. IMI runs installer certifications in areas such as adhered masonry veneer, historic masonry preservation, rainscreen, grouting and reinforcing, and terra cotta repair, and lists the BAC/IMI International Training Center in Bowie, Maryland.
The honest outlook for masonry jobs
Here the numbers call for a clear look. BLS counted 62,400 brickmason and blockmason jobs in 2025 and projects just 1 percent growth through 2035. Stonemasons are projected to shrink 5 percent and terrazzo workers 13 percent, though terrazzo is a very small group of about 1,200 workers. Across all masonry workers, BLS expects about 18,400 openings a year, mainly from retirements and people leaving the field.
So masonry is a replacement market, not a growth market. That is not a reason to avoid it. It means two things for your planning:
- Openings come from retirements. An aging workforce means steady demand for trained people even without overall growth.
- Specialties protect you. Restoration, refractory and certified installation work are harder to replace with other wall systems. A bricklayer who can also do historic repointing or refractory linings has more places to be dispatched.
Reading the BLS masonry numbers correctly
One trap catches a lot of people researching this trade. BLS's "masonry workers" category totals 277,700 jobs in 2025, but most of those, 204,800, are cement masons and concrete finishers. Brickmasons and blockmasons are 62,400, stonemasons 9,300 and terrazzo workers about 1,200. Cement masons do not appear among the crafts in the BAC Local 3 apprenticeship lineup, so if you are looking at BAC specifically, the brickmason, stonemason and terrazzo lines are the ones that apply to you. Our which union represents your trade reference can help you find the right door if concrete finishing is what you want.
The same caution applies to the growth figures. The 1 percent projection for all masonry is pulled up by cement masons, projected at 2 percent. The brick and block line on its own is also 1 percent, which is flat but not falling.
Brick, tile or restoration: how to choose
If you are torn between BAC crafts, sort by the kind of day you want:
- Outdoors, structural, physical: bricklayer. You will build walls that hold up buildings and work in whatever weather the season brings.
- Indoors, detail, finish quality: tile layer or marble mason. The work is in finished spaces, and layout and precision matter more than speed with heavy units.
- Problem solving on older buildings: pointer-cleaner-caulker. Restoration means figuring out what an old wall needs, often while working from scaffolding or swing stages.
- Craft and polish: terrazzo. It is the smallest group and the highest median pay in the BLS masonry data, but openings are rare.
- Industrial shutdowns: refractory. Furnace and boiler linings get rebuilt on tight schedules, which can mean long shifts.
Shorter finisher apprenticeships can also be a smart way in. A finisher learns the materials and the job sites, and some programs give journey finishers a head start if they later move into the mechanic or mason program.
The physical side of masonry
BLS is direct about this: masonry is physically demanding, with heavy lifting and long stretches of standing, kneeling and bending. Masons need to lift more than 50 pounds. Most work is outdoors and can be dusty, dirty or muddy, and weather affects schedules. Common injuries include cuts, falls and being struck by objects, and workers wear hard hats, eye protection, high-visibility vests and fall protection harnesses.
Two practical points. First, OSHA lists sawing brick and grinding mortar among the tasks that expose workers to respirable crystalline silica, a real long-term hazard, so use the wet cutting and dust controls your training covers every time. Second, plan your body's career. Many masons move into foreman, superintendent, estimating or instructor roles later, and BLS lists supervisor and independent contractor as common advancement paths.
How to become a union bricklayer: checklist
- Find your BAC local and its training center. Programs are local or regional; the training center handles applications.
- Ask which crafts are open. Bricklayer is the most common opening, but tile, restoration or terrazzo may have openings too.
- Ask about pre-apprenticeship. If your local offers one, it is often the most direct route in.
- Have your documents ready. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical. Expect ID and possibly a driver's license.
- Get in shape for the work. The 50-pound lifting requirement is real, every day.
- Prepare for the interview. See how to interview with a union local.
Bottom line
Verdict: A BAC apprenticeship is a solid, paid path into a craft with above-average pay and a clear step schedule. The trade is not growing fast, so your edge comes from specialization. Start as a bricklayer if you want the broadest options, then add restoration, refractory or certified installation skills. If you prefer indoor work, ask about tile or terrazzo from day one.