Insulation worker salary: what insulation workers actually make
Insulation workers earned a median $23.62 an hour ($49,120 a year) in May 2025, across 44,440 jobs in the BLS employer survey. Pay by state and metro, the 20-year trend, and the union scale contractors must pay on federal work.
How much do insulation workers make?
The median insulation worker earned $23.62 an hour, or $49,120 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 44,440 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $20.77 and $29.32 an hour.
The middle half of insulation workers earn between $20.77 and $29.32 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $37.59 ($78,190 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $17.80. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.
Apprentice, journeyman and master insulation worker pay
Pay tracks licence and experience: an apprentice or entry-level insulation worker earns near the bottom of the range, a journeyman around the median, and a master insulation worker, foreman or specialist in the top quarter. The union pay scale (journeyman base plus fringe) for every county is in the prevailing-wage section.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.80 – $20.77 | $37,030 – $43,200 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $20.77 – $29.32 | $43,200 – $60,980 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.32 – $37.59 | $60,980 – $78,190 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification or licence requirement.
Insulation worker pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $35.16 | 49% above |
| Washington | $32.57 | 38% above |
| Mississippi | $30.23 | 28% above |
| Oregon | $28.95 | 23% above |
| New York | $28.41 | 20% above |
| Maryland | $28.09 | 19% above |
| Ohio | $28.08 | 19% above |
| Alaska | $27.15 | 15% above |
| Missouri | $26.94 | 14% above |
| Iowa | $26.84 | 14% above |
| Indiana | $26.26 | 11% above |
| Minnesota | $26.13 | 11% above |
| Vermont | $25.76 | 9% above |
| Delaware | $25.75 | 9% above |
| Illinois | $25.48 | 8% above |
| New Jersey | $25.36 | 7% above |
| Kansas | $24.77 | 5% above |
| New Hampshire | $24.67 | 4% above |
| Colorado | $24.42 | 3% above |
| Pennsylvania | $24.33 | 3% above |
| Kentucky | $23.91 | 1% above |
| Wisconsin | $23.81 | 1% above |
| Massachusetts | $23.53 | about the same as |
| California | $23.48 | 1% below |
| Alabama | $23.43 | 1% below |
| Texas | $23.43 | 1% below |
| Connecticut | $23.34 | 1% below |
| New Mexico | $23.30 | 1% below |
| Tennessee | $23.28 | 1% below |
| Montana | $23.13 | 2% below |
| Georgia | $22.99 | 3% below |
| Maine | $22.97 | 3% below |
| Louisiana | $22.76 | 4% below |
| Florida | $22.65 | 4% below |
| South Carolina | $22.61 | 4% below |
| Oklahoma | $22.54 | 5% below |
| Nevada | $22.36 | 5% below |
| Michigan | $22.35 | 5% below |
| North Dakota | $22.33 | 5% below |
| Wyoming | $22.21 | 6% below |
| South Dakota | $22.03 | 7% below |
| Virginia | $21.54 | 9% below |
| Arkansas | $21.03 | 11% below |
| North Carolina | $20.67 | 12% below |
| Arizona | $20.29 | 14% below |
| Idaho | $19.98 | 15% below |
| Utah | $19.27 | 18% below |
| West Virginia | $17.01 | 28% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $35.16 | $39.02 | #1 | 310 |
| Washington | $32.57 | $30.44 | #4 | 2,330 |
| Mississippi | $30.23 | $34.75 | #2 | 290 |
| Oregon | $28.95 | $28.00 | #8 | 700 |
| New York | $28.41 | $26.33 | #15 | 1,600 |
| Maryland | $28.09 | $26.75 | #10 | 1,240 |
| Ohio | $28.08 | $30.26 | #5 | 870 |
| Alaska | $27.15 | $26.51 | #11 | 170 |
| Missouri | $26.94 | $29.67 | #6 | 830 |
| Iowa | $26.84 | $30.57 | #3 | 460 |
| Indiana | $26.26 | $28.15 | #7 | 780 |
| Minnesota | $26.13 | $26.50 | #13 | 1,090 |
| Vermont | $25.76 | $26.29 | #16 | 110 |
| Delaware | $25.75 | $25.80 | #18 | 280 |
| Illinois | $25.48 | $25.48 | #20 | 780 |
| New Jersey | $25.36 | $23.31 | #36 | 820 |
| Kansas | $24.77 | $27.49 | #9 | 430 |
| New Hampshire | $24.67 | $23.68 | #35 | 230 |
| Colorado | $24.42 | $23.69 | #33 | 1,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $24.33 | $24.93 | #25 | 610 |
| Kentucky | $23.91 | $26.51 | #12 | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $23.81 | $25.30 | #22 | 650 |
| Massachusetts | $23.53 | $22.24 | #40 | 710 |
| California | $23.48 | $21.21 | #44 | 3,080 |
| Alabama | $23.43 | $26.39 | #14 | 660 |
| Texas | $23.43 | $24.13 | #30 | 7,120 |
| Connecticut | $23.34 | $22.53 | #38 | 300 |
| New Mexico | $23.30 | $25.27 | #23 | 250 |
| Tennessee | $23.28 | $25.33 | #21 | 1,160 |
| Montana | $23.13 | $24.45 | #27 | 490 |
| Georgia | $22.99 | $23.87 | #32 | 900 |
| Maine | $22.97 | $23.68 | #34 | 440 |
| Louisiana | $22.76 | $25.80 | #17 | 1,610 |
| Florida | $22.65 | $21.91 | #42 | 2,690 |
| South Carolina | $22.61 | $24.13 | #29 | 730 |
| Oklahoma | $22.54 | $25.67 | #19 | 570 |
| Nevada | $22.36 | $22.36 | #39 | 660 |
| Michigan | $22.35 | $23.23 | #37 | 710 |
| North Dakota | $22.33 | $25.09 | #24 | 260 |
| Wyoming | $22.21 | $23.96 | #31 | 170 |
| South Dakota | $22.03 | $24.86 | #26 | 340 |
| Virginia | $21.54 | $21.31 | #43 | — |
| Arkansas | $21.03 | $24.20 | #28 | 350 |
| North Carolina | $20.67 | $21.92 | #41 | 2,090 |
| Arizona | $20.29 | $20.15 | #46 | 780 |
| Idaho | $19.98 | $20.92 | #45 | 330 |
| Utah | $19.27 | $19.48 | #47 | 300 |
| West Virginia | $17.01 | $19.01 | #48 | 70 |
Are there more insulation worker jobs than there used to be?
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Where the insulation worker jobs are
Montana has the highest concentration of insulation workers, 3.4× the national share, followed by Louisiana (2.9×) and South Dakota (2.6×). The lowest is West Virginia at 0.3×. Concentration says where the trade is a large part of the local economy; the job count says where the most positions are.
| State | Jobs | Jobs per 1,000 | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 490 | 1.0 | 3.4× |
| Louisiana | 1,610 | 0.8 | 2.9× |
| South Dakota | 340 | 0.7 | 2.6× |
| Maine | 440 | 0.7 | 2.4× |
| Washington | 2,330 | 0.7 | 2.3× |
| Wyoming | 170 | 0.6 | 2.1× |
| North Dakota | 260 | 0.6 | 2.1× |
| Delaware | 280 | 0.6 | 2.1× |
| Alaska | 170 | 0.5 | 1.9× |
| Texas | 7,120 | 0.5 | 1.8× |
| Maryland | 1,240 | 0.5 | 1.6× |
| Nevada | 660 | 0.4 | 1.5× |
| North Carolina | 2,090 | 0.4 | 1.5× |
| Colorado | 1,210 | 0.4 | 1.5× |
| Idaho | 330 | 0.4 | 1.4× |
| Minnesota | 1,090 | 0.4 | 1.3× |
| Vermont | 110 | 0.4 | 1.3× |
| Oregon | 700 | 0.4 | 1.2× |
| Tennessee | 1,160 | 0.3 | 1.2× |
| Oklahoma | 570 | 0.3 | 1.2× |
| New Hampshire | 230 | 0.3 | 1.2× |
| South Carolina | 730 | 0.3 | 1.1× |
| Alabama | 660 | 0.3 | 1.1× |
| Nebraska | 310 | 0.3 | 1.1× |
| Kansas | 430 | 0.3 | 1.1× |
| Iowa | 460 | 0.3 | 1.0× |
| New Mexico | 250 | 0.3 | 1.0× |
| Missouri | 830 | 0.3 | 1.0× |
| Florida | 2,690 | 0.3 | 0.9× |
| Arkansas | 350 | 0.3 | 0.9× |
| Mississippi | 290 | 0.2 | 0.9× |
| Indiana | 780 | 0.2 | 0.9× |
| Arizona | 780 | 0.2 | 0.8× |
| Wisconsin | 650 | 0.2 | 0.8× |
| Kentucky | 400 | 0.2 | 0.7× |
| Massachusetts | 710 | 0.2 | 0.7× |
| New Jersey | 820 | 0.2 | 0.7× |
| Georgia | 900 | 0.2 | 0.7× |
| Connecticut | 300 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Utah | 300 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| California | 3,080 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| New York | 1,600 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Michigan | 710 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Ohio | 870 | 0.2 | 0.6× |
| Illinois | 780 | 0.1 | 0.5× |
| Pennsylvania | 610 | 0.1 | 0.3× |
| West Virginia | 70 | 0.1 | 0.3× |
Metros with the most insulation worker jobs
| Metro | Jobs | Median $/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,430 | $23.14 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,100 | $24.00 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,500 | $29.68 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,330 | $22.07 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,250 | $34.61 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 1,100 | $23.12 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 870 | $28.00 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 830 | $23.30 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 760 | $21.40 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 730 | $24.87 |
Highest-paying metros for insulation workers
| Metro | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $34.61 | $31.15 | #1 | $64.47 | 1,250 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $30.39 | $29.08 | #3 | $40.24 | 550 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $29.68 | $26.36 | #7 | $56.65 | 1,500 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $28.39 | $29.85 | #2 | $43.72 | 520 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $28.29 | $27.31 | #4 | $45.76 | 600 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $28.00 | $26.72 | #6 | $50.04 | 870 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $26.31 | $26.28 | #8 | $47.15 | 580 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $26.16 | $27.17 | #5 | $34.64 | 550 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $24.87 | $23.51 | #10 | $36.02 | 730 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $24.00 | $23.28 | #12 | $30.83 | 2,100 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $23.30 | $20.51 | #14 | $50.69 | 830 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $23.30 | $20.40 | #15 | $34.43 | 650 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $23.14 | $23.47 | #11 | $30.41 | 2,430 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $23.12 | $25.46 | #9 | $29.97 | 1,100 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $22.07 | $20.27 | #16 | $37.54 | 1,330 |
Metros with at least 500 insulation workers. Cost-of-living adjustment divides the median by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100); the adjusted rank is among the 17 metros with a parity.
Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers
Federal construction projects must pay the Davis-Bacon rate for each county. Where the rate comes from a union contract it is the local journeyman scale: base wage plus fringe (health, pension, training). Where it comes from a survey, it is often older and lower. This table summarises the Building-construction determination for insulation workers in every state.
| State | Counties with a union rate | Typical union package (base + fringe, $/hr) | Typical survey rate | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 100% | $96.60 | — | 21/21 |
| Washington | 77% | $94.19 | $28.28 | 39/39 |
| Massachusetts | 100% | $92.08 | — | 14/14 |
| California | 91% | $89.63 | $27.21 | 57/58 |
| South Dakota | 88% | $89.37 | $15.20 | 66/66 |
| Wisconsin | 72% | $89.37 | $33.73 | 72/72 |
| Rhode Island | 100% | $86.54 | — | 5/5 |
| Oregon | 100% | $84.38 | — | 36/36 |
| Illinois | 100% | $84.03 | — | 99/102 |
| Connecticut | 100% | $82.46 | — | 8/8 |
| Kansas | 94% | $81.07 | $35.54 | 105/105 |
| New Hampshire | 100% | $80.99 | — | 10/10 |
| Hawaii | 100% | $76.65 | — | 5/5 |
| Alaska | 100% | $70.72 | — | 30/30 |
| Missouri | 93% | $70.72 | $72.81 | 114/115 |
| New York | 69% | $70.54 | $52.38 | 58/62 |
| Pennsylvania | 81% | $69.81 | $52.41 | 67/67 |
| West Virginia | 96% | $68.92 | $46.01 | 55/55 |
| Arizona | 100% | $67.36 | — | 1/15 |
| Indiana | 100% | $65.88 | — | 78/92 |
| Montana | 98% | $65.68 | $25.09 | 56/56 |
| Ohio | 88% | $65.27 | $62.27 | 88/88 |
| Michigan | 83% | $63.65 | $27.13 | 83/83 |
| District of Columbia | 100% | $60.94 | — | 1/1 |
| Virginia | 100% | $60.94 | — | 131/133 |
| Iowa | 8% | $60.41 | $22.49 | 99/99 |
| Tennessee | 100% | $56.99 | — | 42/95 |
| Colorado | 81% | $53.80 | $31.09 | 64/64 |
| Georgia | 100% | $52.70 | — | 74/159 |
| Kentucky | 82% | $50.89 | $52.93 | 119/120 |
| New Mexico | 33% | $48.49 | $32.87 | 21/33 |
| Alabama | 100% | $47.50 | — | 29/67 |
| Florida | 77% | $43.23 | $31.67 | 44/67 |
| Louisiana | 100% | $42.52 | — | 64/64 |
| Texas | 85% | $40.75 | $26.90 | 246/254 |
| Arkansas | 0% | — | $21.92 | 20/75 |
| Idaho | 0% | — | $21.93 | 25/44 |
| Maryland | 0% | — | $61.19 | 20/24 |
| Minnesota | 0% | — | $93.24 | 87/87 |
| North Dakota | 0% | — | $18.85 | 53/53 |
| Nevada | 0% | — | $87.87 | 17/17 |
| South Carolina | 0% | — | $57.36 | 3/46 |
| Utah | 0% | — | $13.77 | 27/29 |
Source: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions, Building construction type. Not the official determination; see each state page for county detail and links to the official text.
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects the number of insulation workers to change by +2.4% over 2025-35, from 45,100 to 46,200, with about 3,000 openings a year.
Of those openings, 200 a year come from growth in the number of jobs and 2,800 from replacement: 900 for people who retire or leave the workforce and 1,900 for people who move to another occupation.
BLS worker characteristics, 2025-35: typical education for entry: no formal educational credential; related work experience: none; on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training. The Occupational Outlook Handbook entry describes the work.
What each state projects
State labor market agencies publish their own projections on a 2024–2034 cycle. Arizona projects the fastest growth for insulation workers at +22.5%; by openings, Texas (490 a year), California (270 a year), Florida (190 a year) lead. 46 states publish a figure for this occupation.
| State | Jobs, 2024 | Projected, 2034 | Change | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 710 | 870 | +22.5% | 80 |
| Colorado | 970 | 1,180 | +21.6% | 110 |
| Idaho | 590 | 720 | +21.6% | 60 |
| Montana | 510 | 610 | +20.0% | 50 |
| Wyoming | 200 | 230 | +20.0% | 20 |
| West Virginia | 70 | 80 | +16.7% | 10 |
| Connecticut | 320 | 380 | +16.4% | 30 |
| Mississippi | 400 | 460 | +15.7% | 40 |
| Florida | 1,970 | 2,220 | +12.6% | 190 |
| Tennessee | 1,180 | 1,310 | +10.9% | 110 |
| Oregon | 680 | 760 | +10.7% | 60 |
| South Dakota | 250 | 280 | +10.7% | 20 |
| Nebraska | 220 | 240 | +8.9% | 20 |
| Nevada | 300 | 330 | +8.3% | 30 |
| Iowa | 320 | 340 | +7.3% | 30 |
| North Dakota | 250 | 260 | +7.3% | 20 |
| Alabama | 820 | 880 | +7.2% | 70 |
| Wisconsin | 640 | 690 | +7.0% | 60 |
| Arkansas | 350 | 370 | +6.9% | 30 |
| New Jersey | 1,100 | 1,180 | +6.9% | 100 |
| Georgia | 770 | 820 | +6.5% | 70 |
| New Mexico | 270 | 280 | +5.6% | 20 |
| Vermont | 90 | 90 | +5.6% | 10 |
| Maryland | 1,280 | 1,350 | +5.3% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | 840 | 890 | +5.3% | 70 |
| Indiana | 880 | 920 | +4.9% | 80 |
| North Carolina | 1,330 | 1,400 | +4.9% | 110 |
| Kentucky | 550 | 580 | +4.5% | 50 |
| Louisiana | 1,220 | 1,270 | +4.5% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | 140 | 150 | +4.3% | 10 |
| Pennsylvania | 670 | 700 | +4.2% | 60 |
| Illinois | 1,060 | 1,100 | +4.1% | 90 |
| Minnesota | 1,160 | 1,200 | +3.9% | 100 |
| Missouri | 810 | 840 | +3.8% | 70 |
| South Carolina | 500 | 510 | +3.8% | 40 |
| Kansas | 480 | 500 | +3.7% | 40 |
| Oklahoma | 830 | 860 | +3.7% | 70 |
| Ohio | 1,340 | 1,390 | +3.4% | 110 |
| California | 3,200 | 3,300 | +3.1% | 270 |
| Alaska | 100 | 100 | +3.0% | 10 |
| Utah | 360 | 370 | +3.0% | 30 |
| Texas | 5,900 | 6,080 | +2.9% | 490 |
| Maine | 380 | 390 | +1.3% | 30 |
| Michigan | 750 | 750 | +0.8% | 60 |
| New York | 1,960 | 1,890 | -3.4% | 150 |
| Washington | 1,090 | 1,050 | -3.7% | 80 |
Source: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central, 2024–2034 projections, displayed for the first of this trade's two occupation codes. State base counts include the self-employed, so they run higher than the BLS survey count above.
Compare insulation worker pay with other trades
See how insulation worker pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do insulation workers make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $17.80 at the 10th percentile to $37.59 at the 90th, with a median of $23.62. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice insulation worker make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $17.80 to $20.77 an hour ($37,030 to $43,200 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays insulation workers the most?
Nebraska had the highest median at $35.16 an hour in May 2025, followed by Washington ($32.57) and Mississippi ($30.23). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Is insulation worker a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $49,120 a year, a 90th percentile of $78,190, projected growth of +2.4% and about 3,000 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Are insulation worker jobs growing?
Looking ahead, BLS projects +2.4% growth over 2025-35 with about 3,000 openings a year, most of them replacing people who leave the occupation.
Which states will need the most insulation workers?
By projected annual openings, the state agencies' figures put Texas (490 a year, +2.9% growth), California (270 a year, +3.1% growth), Florida (190 a year, +12.6% growth) at the top. Every state's projection is in the outlook table above.
Where are insulation workers most concentrated?
Relative to the size of each state's workforce, Montana has the highest concentration at 3.4× the national share, then Louisiana (2.9×) and South Dakota (2.6×). The largest absolute job counts are usually in the most populous states; see the map above.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2131, 47-2132 (Insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical)). Wages exclude overtime and benefits; job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, 2024.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35 (Tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12). Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.
- State projections: state labor market information agencies via Projections Central (Projections Managing Partnership), 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05. State figures include the self-employed.