How Much Does a Concrete Finisher Make? (2024)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2051 · 3-year apprenticeship
The average concrete finisher earns $60,072 per year ($29/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $46,690 to $82,190 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $46,640 and top earners making $107,680+.
Yes — top-decile concrete finishers clear $100K in 6 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile concrete finisher in Chicago, IL earns $107,680 per year ($52/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median concrete finisher pay nationally is $60,072 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Concrete Finisher salaries range from $46,690 to $82,190 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Concrete Finisher Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $82,190 | $46,640 – $107,680 | $76,813 | C | 4,120 |
| San Francisco, CA | $76,650 | $50,670 – $118,460 | $40,342 | D | 2,740 |
| Seattle, WA | $74,700 | $55,870 – $132,930 | $50,134 | D | 2,550 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $71,470 | $47,730 – $95,930 | $74,448 | C | 950 |
| Portland, OR | $68,800 | $49,320 – $100,700 | $52,923 | D | 1,740 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $68,640 | $50,810 – $100,960 | $64,755 | C | 2,670 |
| New York, NY | $65,880 | $48,620 – $115,650 | $35,230 | F | 9,620 |
| Boston, MA | $65,790 | $47,320 – $99,250 | $43,283 | D | 1,130 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $65,430 | $46,030 – $99,820 | $39,416 | D | 8,250 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,070 | $45,300 – $79,010 | $67,817 | C | 950 |
| St. Louis, MO | $62,930 | $43,940 – $96,310 | $69,922 | C | 2,500 |
| Detroit, MI | $62,650 | $40,080 – $80,000 | $70,393 | C | 2,020 |
| New Orleans, LA | $62,300 | $39,000 – $73,900 | $65,579 | C | 320 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $61,930 | $44,080 – $77,740 | $68,055 | C | 1,620 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $61,560 | $45,480 – $99,000 | $53,530 | D | 1,890 |
| Denver, CO | $61,400 | $45,710 – $74,000 | $47,969 | D | 2,720 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $61,350 | $42,530 – $82,280 | $66,685 | C | 770 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $59,530 | $46,340 – $74,530 | $57,796 | D | 5,050 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $59,280 | $45,780 – $66,620 | $57,000 | D | 2,100 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,840 | $42,080 – $80,100 | $56,577 | D | 2,200 |
| Kansas City, MO | $58,810 | $44,720 – $80,680 | $62,564 | C | 2,730 |
| Charlotte, NC | $48,710 | $38,610 – $61,570 | $49,704 | D | 1,250 |
| Atlanta, GA | $48,590 | $35,990 – $61,880 | $45,840 | D | 1,740 |
| Dallas, TX | $47,990 | $37,080 – $58,980 | $47,049 | D | 7,650 |
| Raleigh, NC | $47,700 | $36,060 – $57,650 | $47,700 | D | 750 |
| Nashville, TN | $47,440 | $37,450 – $63,680 | $46,058 | D | 1,400 |
| Miami, FL | $47,430 | $38,090 – $75,500 | $38,877 | D | 3,490 |
| Tampa, FL | $47,250 | $36,580 – $87,540 | $46,782 | D | 1,990 |
| Houston, TX | $47,150 | $36,300 – $60,120 | $49,115 | D | 6,180 |
| San Antonio, TX | $46,690 | $36,260 – $57,700 | $51,878 | D | 1,540 |
About Concrete Finisher Pay
Concrete Finishers earn a national median salary of $60,072 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Chicago at $82,190 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $46,690.
Becoming a concrete finisher typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $46,640, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $107,680 or more. With 2% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a concrete finisher?
Step-by-step path: 3-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average concrete finisher salary is $60,072 per year ($29/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $46,690 to $82,190 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Concrete Finishers earn an average hourly wage of $29/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $22/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $52/hour or more.
Chicago offers the highest median pay for concrete finishers at $82,190. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 2% wage growth over 5 years, concrete finisher offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 84,630 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a concrete finisher typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $46,640 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.