How much does a concrete finisher make in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, cement masons and concrete finishers earned an average of $33.00 an hour in May 2025, and the median was $29.52 an hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
$33.00
$29.52
$28.87
$4.13 more an hour
$68,640
By the hour, the week and the year in New Jersey
At 40 hours a week, the average of $33.00 an hour comes to $1,320.00 a week. Over the 2,080-hour year the BLS uses for its annual figures, it comes to $68,640 a year, and the median of $29.52 to $61,402 a year.
In New Jersey, the average is $3.48 above the median (11.8%): a smaller group of higher wages pulls the average up, and half of cement masons and concrete finishers earn $29.52 an hour or less.
How does New Jersey compare?
The average in New Jersey is $4.13 above the national average of $28.87 (14.3% more), about $8,590 more a year at 2,080 hours.
By average wage, New Jersey ranks 11 of 51 states and DC with data for this trade (1 pays the most). The national median is $27.41 an hour.
New Jersey and its Census division, Middle Atlantic
By average wage, New Jersey ranks 2 of the 3 states of the division with data for this trade: the highest is New York, $34.92, and the lowest Pennsylvania, $29.82.
| State | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $34.92 | $30.79 | +$1.92 |
| New Jersey | $33.00 | $29.52 | |
| Pennsylvania | $29.82 | $29.62 | -$3.18 |
This trade and the others in New Jersey
Of the 5 trades this site prices, cement masons and concrete finishers rank 2 of the 5 by average wage in New Jersey. Among them, the average runs from $19.10 (Cleaning) to $39.08 (Drywall).
| Trade | Average per hour | Median per hour | Against concrete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall | $39.08 | $36.09 | +$6.08 |
| Concrete | $33.00 | $29.52 | |
| Painting | $29.33 | $28.49 | -$3.67 |
| Landscaping | $20.82 | $19.88 | -$12.18 |
| Cleaning | $19.10 | $18.26 | -$13.90 |
Against the minimum wage in New Jersey
The minimum wage in New Jersey is $15.92 an hour for most employers. The median of cement masons and concrete finishers, $29.52, is $13.60 above it, 85.4% more than the minimum. Over 2,080 hours the minimum comes to $33,114 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 New Jersey, $29.52 an hour, the 8 hours of the starting job of the concrete calculator cost $236.16 in wages. With its $444.00 of materials, 10% overhead and 15% profit, the quote comes to $860.41; 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.