How much does a concrete finisher make in Illinois?
In Illinois, cement masons and concrete finishers earned an average of $37.40 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $37.58 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$37.40
$37.58
$28.87
$8.53 more an hour
$77,792
By the hour, the week and the year in Illinois
At 40 hours a week, the average of $37.40 an hour comes to $1,496.00 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $77,792 a year, and the median of $37.58 to $78,166 a year.
In Illinois, the average is $0.18 below the median (0.5%): a group of lower wages pulls the average down, and half of cement masons and concrete finishers earn $37.58 an hour or more.
How does Illinois compare?
The average in Illinois is $8.53 above the national average of $28.87 (29.5% more), about $17,742 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, Illinois ranks 4 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $27.41 an hour.
Illinois and its Census division, East North Central
Of the 5 states of the division with data for this trade, Illinois pays the highest average, $37.40; next comes Wisconsin with $33.09.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $37.40 | $37.58 | |
| Wisconsin | $33.09 | $30.89 | -$4.31 |
| Ohio | $30.67 | $30.28 | -$6.73 |
| Indiana | $29.02 | $29.46 | -$8.38 |
| Michigan | $28.21 | $28.78 | -$9.19 |
This trade and the others in Illinois
Of the 5 trades this site prices, cement masons and concrete finishers rank 1 of the 5 by average wage in Illinois. Among them, the average runs from $18.73 (Cleaning) to $37.40 (Concrete).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against concrete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | $37.40 | $37.58 | |
| Drywall | $34.95 | $30.38 | -$2.45 |
| Painting | $33.48 | $29.45 | -$3.92 |
| Landscaping | $21.54 | $21.05 | -$15.86 |
| Cleaning | $18.73 | $17.49 | -$18.67 |
Against the minimum wage in Illinois
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour for most employers. The median of cement masons and concrete finishers, $37.58, is $22.58 above it, 2.5 times the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $31,200 a year.
From wage to rate
This is what an employer pays an employee, not what a contractor bills. Your rate also has to cover your overhead (vehicle, insurance, tools), your profit, and the hours you cannot bill.
If you pay a helper the median wage in Illinois, $37.58 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the concrete calculator cost $300.64 in wages. With its $444.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $941.97; at the national median, $27.41, the same job comes to $839.05. A wage is only the floor: your own rate also pays your taxes, your unbilled hours and your business.