Brickmasons and Blockmasons vs Sheet Metal Workers: Similar Median Pay, Different Work

Brickmasons and Blockmasons vs Sheet Metal Workers: what changes?

Consider Brickmasons and Blockmasons if you want to lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances, to construct or repair walls, partitions…. Consider Sheet Metal Workers if you would rather fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Brickmasons and Blockmasons and Sheet Metal Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

National median pay (2025): $62,120
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 4,100

Know before you choose

The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.

See the full Brickmasons and Blockmasons brief

Sheet Metal Workers

National median pay (2025): $61,800
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 9,800

Know before you choose

The usual entry route includes an apprenticeship. Interest in the subject is not a substitute for supervised, paid training.

See the full Sheet Metal Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on annual openings

Sheet Metal Workers is at 9,800 annual openings, compared with 4,100 annual openings for Brickmasons and Blockmasons.

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on projected growth

Sheet Metal Workers is at 2.5% projected growth, compared with 1.1% projected growth for Brickmasons and Blockmasons.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

50.5/ 100

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

58.1/ 100

Sheet Metal Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Brickmasons and Blockmasons vs Sheet Metal Workers

Dimension	Brickmasons and Blockmasons	Sheet Metal Workers
Median pay (2025)	$62,120	$61,800
Pay percentile	51.6 percentile	51 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	1.1%	2.5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	4,100	9,800
2025 employment	62,400	131,100
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements	High school diploma or equivalent; Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.	Apprenticeship combines paid work and instruction; duration is not reported here. Check the full program and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Brickmasons and Blockmasons brief Read Sheet Metal Workers brief

Brickmasons and Blockmasons vs Sheet Metal Workers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Sheet Metal Workers

How the national numbers differ

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on annual openings

Sheet Metal Workers has the edge on projected growth

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Brickmasons and Blockmasons vs Sheet Metal Workers

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