Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Concrete Finisher Salary in St. Louis
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Construction · COL Index: 90
Concrete Finishers in St. Louis, MO earn a median annual wage of $62,930 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $43,940 and the 90th at $96,310. After cost of living, that translates to $69,922 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
What Concrete Finishers Take Home in St. Louis
The $52,370 spread between entry-level and top-decile concrete finishers in St. Louis is around 83% of the median — a typical range for skilled trades. Workers can roughly double their entry pay through a combination of experience, certifications, union membership, and moving from helper to journeyman to foreman roles.
St. Louis's cost-of-living index of 90 sits below the U.S. average, so the $62,930 median wage for concrete finishers here actually translates upward — to roughly $69,922 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Below-average rent, groceries, and services mean wages tend to go further here than nominal numbers suggest.
With a Trade Pay Score of 58 (C), concrete finishers in St. Louis are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $43,940 | $48,822 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $49,750 | $55,278 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $62,930 | $69,922 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $81,210 | $90,233 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $96,310 | $107,011 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for concrete finishers, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in St. Louis are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Concrete Finisher make in St. Louis?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median concrete finisher salary in St. Louis, MO is $62,930. The 10th percentile is $43,940 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $96,310 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does St. Louis pay compare for Concrete Finishers?
With a Trade Pay Score of 58/100 and a grade of C, the St. Louis-Concrete Finisher pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Concrete Finishers in St. Louis?
Concrete Finishers typically complete a 3-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($43,940) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Concrete Finisher pay in St. Louis?
St. Louis has a cost-of-living index of 90. The median concrete finisher salary of $62,930 translates to $69,922 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in St. Louis
$104,310 median · Grade B
$100,410 median · Grade B
$100,410 median · Grade B
$82,150 median · Grade C
$81,260 median · Grade C
$79,280 median · Grade B
Concrete Finishers in St. Louis, MO earn a median annual wage of $62,930 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $43,940 and the 90th at $96,310. After cost of living, that translates to $69,922 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
Concrete Finishers in St. Louis, MO is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
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 Concrete Finishers in St. Louis, MO 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.