Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Colorado

Median $24.42 an hour for 1,210 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$24.42/hrMedian hourly wageColorado, May data
$50,800/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.40 – $33.9610th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,210Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Insulation worker pay in Colorado: the full range

Wage percentiles, ColoradoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrColorado: 10th $19.40 · 25th $22.71 · median $24.42 · 75th $29.87 · 90th $33.96Colorado$24.42$19.40$33.96United States: 10th $17.80 · 25th $20.77 · median $23.62 · 75th $29.32 · 90th $37.59United States$23.62
Hourly wage percentiles for insulation workers: Colorado vs United States, May 2025.

Colorado ranks 19th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 33rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.69). 1,210 insulation workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.40 – $22.71$40,340 – $47,240roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.71 – $29.87$47,240 – $62,140the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.87 – $33.96$62,140 – $70,630the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Colorado

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrColorado Springs: $28.58Colorado Springs$28.58Denver: $24.87Denver$24.87Fort Collins: $23.71Fort Collins$23.71
Median hourly wage for insulation workers by metro area in Colorado, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Colorado Springs$19.17$28.58$28.38$36.6814017% above
Denver$19.40$24.87$23.51$36.027302% above
Fort Collins$18.18$23.71$23.45$30.56703% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Are there more insulation worker jobs in Colorado?

0.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.5× the US share, 14th of 47 states

BLS counted 1,210 insulation workers in Colorado in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 16%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for insulation workers in Colorado

+21.6%Projected growth in Colorado2024–2034, state agency
110Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
970Jobs in 20241,180 projected for 2034
+2.4%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Colorado's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by +21.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 970 to 1,180, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 1,210 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page), first of this trade's two occupation codes.

Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers in Colorado

On federally funded construction in Colorado, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $53.80 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $31.09). 12 of the 64 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Adams County at $26.69). The market median for the state is $24.42.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, COAdams: $26.69 (survey)Alamosa: $53.80 (union)Arapahoe: $31.09 (survey)Archuleta: $53.80 (union)Baca: $53.80 (union)Bent: $53.80 (union)Boulder: $53.80 (union)Broomfield: $31.09 (survey)Chaffee: $53.80 (union)Cheyenne: $53.80 (union)Clear Creek: $31.09 (survey)Conejos: $53.80 (union)Costilla: $53.80 (union)Crowley: $53.80 (union)Custer: $53.80 (union)Delta: $53.80 (union)Denver: $53.80 (union)Dolores: $53.80 (union)Douglas: $31.09 (survey)Eagle: $53.80 (union)Elbert: $31.09 (survey)El Paso: $53.80 (union)Fremont: $53.80 (union)Garfield: $53.80 (union)Gilpin: $31.09 (survey)Grand: $53.80 (union)Gunnison: $53.80 (union)Hinsdale: $53.80 (union)Huerfano: $53.80 (union)Jackson: $53.80 (union)Jefferson: $31.09 (survey)Kiowa: $53.80 (union)Kit Carson: $53.80 (union)Lake: $53.80 (union)La Plata: $53.80 (union)Larimer: $21.56 (survey)Las Animas: $53.80 (union)Lincoln: $53.80 (union)Logan: $53.80 (union)Mesa: $24.34 (survey)Mineral: $53.80 (union)Moffat: $53.80 (union)Montezuma: $53.80 (union)Montrose: $53.80 (union)Morgan: $53.80 (union)Otero: $53.80 (union)Ouray: $53.80 (union)Park: $31.09 (survey)Phillips: $53.80 (union)Pitkin: $53.80 (union)Prowers: $53.80 (union)Pueblo: $53.80 (union)Rio Blanco: $53.80 (union)Rio Grande: $53.80 (union)Routt: $53.80 (union)Saguache: $53.80 (union)San Juan: $53.80 (union)San Miguel: $53.80 (union)Sedgwick: $53.80 (union)Summit: $53.80 (union)Teller: $53.80 (union)Washington: $53.80 (union)Weld: $26.49 (survey)Yuma: $53.80 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrsurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for insulation workers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrBoulder (Colorado): market median $24.42, prevailing (union) $53.80, gap +$29.38Boulder (Colorado)+$29.38Denver (Denver): market median $24.87, prevailing (union) $53.80, gap +$28.93Denver (Denver)+$28.93El Paso (Colorado Springs): market median $28.58, prevailing (union) $53.80, gap +$25.22El Paso (Colorado Springs)+$25.22Larimer (Fort Collins): market median $23.71, prevailing (survey) $21.56, gap −$2.15Larimer (Fort Collins)−$2.15
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Colorado.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlamosaUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
ArchuletaUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
BacaUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
BentUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
BoulderUnion ASBE0028-002 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260017
ChaffeeUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
CheyenneUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
ConejosUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
CostillaUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
CrowleyUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
CusterUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
DeltaUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
DenverUnion ASBE0028-002 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260020
DoloresUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001
EagleUnion ASBE0028-004 2025-07-01$36.98$16.82$53.80CO20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Colorado prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Colorado?

193.6kConstruction jobsColorado, 2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025194kSep 2026
Construction employment in Colorado (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Colorado

More on Colorado

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Colorado?

The median insulation worker in Colorado earned $24.42 an hour ($50,800 a year) in May 2025, 3% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $22.71–$29.87; the top 10% earn more than $33.96.

Where does Colorado rank for insulation worker pay?

Colorado ranks 19th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $24.42 an hour, and 33rd after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.1, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Colorado?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 52 counties, with a typical package of $53.80 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Colorado?

BLS counted 1,210 insulation workers in Colorado in May 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.47; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is insulation worker work growing in Colorado?

Colorado's labor market agency projects +21.6% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 970 to 1,180 jobs.

How many insulation worker openings a year are there in Colorado?

Colorado projects about 110 openings a year for insulation workers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 3,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Colorado and metro areas, SOC 47-2131, 47-2132. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Colorado labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.