Concrete Finisher job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

O*NET-SOC 47-2051.00

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$57,020

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (O*NET-SOC 47-2051.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Concrete Finisher” as a job title for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET's Sample of Reported Titles (titles job holders report), O*NET job-incumbent data, the O*NET Occupational Code Assignment, the SOC Index and employer job postings). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed. importance 4.2 of 5
2. Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them. importance 4.1 of 5
3. Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float. importance 4.1 of 5
4. Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process. importance 4.0 of 5
5. Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge. importance 3.9 of 5
6. Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms. importance 3.9 of 5
7. Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it. importance 3.8 of 5
8. Produce rough concrete surface, using broom. importance 3.8 of 5
9. Apply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproof or restore surface. importance 3.7 of 5
10. Operate power vibrator to compact concrete. importance 3.7 of 5
11. Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete or pattern or stamp the surface to provide a decorative finish. importance 3.6 of 5
12. Wet surface to prepare for bonding, fill holes and cracks with grout or slurry, and smooth, using trowel. importance 3.6 of 5
13. Waterproof or restore concrete surfaces, using appropriate compounds. importance 3.5 of 5
14. Mix cement, sand, and water to produce concrete, grout, or slurry, using hoe, trowel, tamper, scraper, or concrete-mixing machine. importance 3.5 of 5
15. Chip, scrape, and grind high spots, ridges, and rough projections to finish concrete, using pneumatic chisels, power grinders, or hand tools. importance 3.3 of 5
16. Cut out damaged areas, drill holes for reinforcing rods, and position reinforcing rods to repair concrete, using power saw and drill. importance 3.3 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Handling and Moving Objects, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Getting Information, Performing General Physical Activities and Scheduling Work and Activities.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Sprinkle colored marble or stone chips, powdered steel, or coloring powder over surface to produce prescribed finish.
• Fabricate concrete beams, columns, and panels.
• Polish surface, using polishing or surfacing machine.
• Cut metal division strips, and press them into terrazzo base so that top edges form desired design or pattern.
• Push roller over surface to embed chips in surface.
• Apply muriatic acid to clean surface, and rinse with water.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Building and Construction, Mathematics and Public Safety and Security.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: ACT Contractors Forms, ADAPT-Modeler, HIPERPAV, LogicSphere Firstmix, Shilstone seeMIX, Hard Dollar HD Project Estimating. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

Most concrete finishers surveyed by O*NET (52%) name less than a high school diploma as the education the job requires.

Job title: Concrete Finisher
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Concrete Finisher to smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
- Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.
- Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
- Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
- Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.
- Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.
- Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.
- Produce rough concrete surface, using broom.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in monitoring, coordination and quality control analysis
- Working knowledge of English Language and Building and Construction
- [Software your team uses, e.g. ACT Contractors Forms or ADAPT-Modeler]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers, the median annual wage was $57,020 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $27.41. BLS estimates about 206,170 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers to grow 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,600 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real concrete finisher posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only concrete finisher work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (monitoring and coordination): a real situation, what you did and what changed.