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Sector

Careers in Glass, Cement & Concrete

Glass, cement, and concrete manufacturing produces essential construction materials. Some hybrid work possible for technical roles, with moderate credentials and union presence.

829K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$55K
Median salary
Across all roles
Glass, Cement & Concrete jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Glass, Cement & Concrete employment by metro · ~393 areas
1.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ13K
2.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA12K
3.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN10K
4.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX9K
5.Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX8K

Jobs per 100K workforce — measures industry density

1.Dalton, GA771.4
2.Vineland, NJ747.8
3.Elkhart-Goshen, IN697.9
4.Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC518.2
5.Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI479.8
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Glass, Cement & Concrete

Glass, cement, and concrete manufacturing produces basic building materials — there's satisfaction in essential production, industrial scale, and making materials that become infrastructure and buildings. Many find meaning in foundational products.

The challenge can come from physical conditions and cyclical demand. These industries involve heat, dust, and heavy materials. Production runs continuously in some processes. Demand follows construction cycles. Energy costs significantly affect economics.

The field varies by material and role. Glass manufacturing differs from cement, concrete products, or aggregates. Process operators have different paths than maintenance, quality, or logistics. Large integrated producers operate differently than local ready-mix operations.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: industrial work, often good wages, essential products, and steady employment in construction-active regions. If you want heavy materials manufacturing, can handle the physical environment, and value industrial work, these sectors offer solid careers.

How people break in

Production and delivery roles accessible. Engineering for process and technical roles. Sales for commercial positions.

Work environment tends toward
Construction cyclesPhysical workLocal marketsHeavy materialsLogistics focus
Industries it connects to
Salary vs. national average
-22%
$55K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$17K$38K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level →
Salary range across all glass, cement & concrete roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$92K
2. Boulder$78K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$75K
4. Durham-Chapel Hill$70K
5. Trenton-Princeton$70K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$71K in mid-market metros to ~$104K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap — metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · $104K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont · $88K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria · $82K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · $92K adj.
Boulder · $78K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria · $75K adj.
Most jobs
New York · 20.3M
Los Angeles · 13.5M
Chicago · 10.1M
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts — signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Glass, Cement & Concrete.

🚪
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Manufacturing data
18%
People tend to stay in Manufacturing. Lower turnover often indicates better working conditions or higher switching costs.
4%vs. 22% all industries
🏢
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
88%
Small
<50
11%
Mid
50–249
1%
Large
250+
🏠
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
Hybrid common
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
📋
Credential Density
Moderate
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
🤝
Union Presence
Based on all Manufacturing data
~9%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
9%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 · BLS QCEW 2024 · O*NET Work Context · BLS Union Members Summary 2024

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS JOLTS 2024 · BLS QCEW 2024 · O*NET Work Context · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.