Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Iowa

Median $26.84 an hour for 460 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$26.84/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$55,820/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.29 – $36.1410th to 90th percentilehourly range
460Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Insulation worker pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrIowa: 10th $20.29 · 25th $21.72 · median $26.84 · 75th $34.72 · 90th $36.14Iowa$26.84$20.29$36.14United 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: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 10th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 3rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $30.57). 460 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$20.29 – $21.72$42,210 – $45,180roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$21.72 – $34.72$45,180 – $72,220the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$34.72 – $36.14$72,220 – $75,170the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrOmaha: $39.36Omaha$39.36Des Moines: $33.85Des Moines$33.85Sioux City: $23.56Sioux City$23.56
Median hourly wage for insulation workers by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Omaha$21.42$39.36$42.83$42.88—47% above
Des Moines$21.72$33.85$36.91$36.9820026% above
Sioux City$17.86$23.56$27.24$34.499012% 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 Iowa?

0.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.0× the US share, 26th of 47 states

BLS counted 460 insulation workers in Iowa in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 13%. 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 Iowa

+7.3%Projected growth in Iowa2024–2034, state agency
30Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
320Jobs in 2024340 projected for 2034
+2.4%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Iowa's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by +7.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 320 to 340, with about 30 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 460 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Iowa 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 Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 8 of the 99 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $60.41 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $22.49). 91 of the 99 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Adair County at $22.20). The market median for the state is $26.84.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: $22.20 (survey)Adams: $22.20 (survey)Allamakee: $22.76 (survey)Appanoose: $26.36 (survey)Audubon: $22.20 (survey)Benton: $60.41 (union)Black Hawk: $32.19 (survey)Boone: $22.20 (survey)Bremer: $32.19 (survey)Buchanan: $22.76 (survey)Buena Vista: $19.23 (survey)Butler: $22.76 (survey)Calhoun: $19.23 (survey)Carroll: $22.20 (survey)Cass: $22.20 (survey)Cedar: $26.36 (survey)Cerro Gordo: $22.04 (survey)Cherokee: $19.23 (survey)Chickasaw: $22.76 (survey)Clarke: $22.20 (survey)Clay: $19.23 (survey)Clayton: $22.76 (survey)Clinton: $26.36 (survey)Crawford: $22.20 (survey)Dallas: $22.49 (survey)Davis: $26.36 (survey)Decatur: $22.20 (survey)Delaware: $22.76 (survey)Des Moines: $26.36 (survey)Dickinson: $19.23 (survey)Dubuque: $60.41 (union)Emmet: $19.23 (survey)Fayette: $22.76 (survey)Floyd: $22.76 (survey)Franklin: $22.76 (survey)Fremont: $22.20 (survey)Greene: $22.20 (survey)Grundy: $32.19 (survey)Guthrie: $22.49 (survey)Hamilton: $19.23 (survey)Hancock: $19.23 (survey)Hardin: $22.76 (survey)Harrison: $58.80 (union)Henry: $26.36 (survey)Howard: $22.76 (survey)Humboldt: $19.23 (survey)Ida: $19.23 (survey)Iowa: $26.36 (survey)Jackson: $26.36 (survey)Jasper: $26.36 (survey)Jefferson: $26.36 (survey)Johnson: $24.34 (survey)Jones: $60.41 (union)Keokuk: $26.36 (survey)Kossuth: $19.23 (survey)Lee: $26.36 (survey)Linn: $60.41 (union)Louisa: $26.36 (survey)Lucas: $22.20 (survey)Lyon: $19.23 (survey)Madison: $22.49 (survey)Mahaska: $26.36 (survey)Marion: $26.36 (survey)Marshall: $26.36 (survey)Mills: $58.80 (union)Mitchell: $22.76 (survey)Monona: $22.20 (survey)Monroe: $26.36 (survey)Montgomery: $22.20 (survey)Muscatine: $34.97 (survey)O'Brien: $19.23 (survey)Osceola: $19.23 (survey)Page: $22.20 (survey)Palo Alto: $19.23 (survey)Plymouth: $19.23 (survey)Pocahontas: $19.23 (survey)Polk: $22.18 (survey)Pottawattamie: $58.80 (union)Poweshiek: $26.36 (survey)Ringgold: $22.20 (survey)Sac: $19.23 (survey)Scott: $60.41 (union)Shelby: $22.20 (survey)Sioux: $19.23 (survey)Story: $22.10 (survey)Tama: $26.36 (survey)Taylor: $22.20 (survey)Union: $22.20 (survey)Van Buren: $26.36 (survey)Wapello: $26.36 (survey)Warren: $22.49 (survey)Washington: $24.82 (survey)Wayne: $22.20 (survey)Webster: $19.23 (survey)Winnebago: $19.23 (survey)Winneshiek: $22.76 (survey)Woodbury: $31.75 (survey)Worth: $22.76 (survey)Wright: $19.23 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$22.20$22.76$26.36survey 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)$20$40$60$80/hrBenton (Iowa): market median $26.84, prevailing (union) $60.41, gap +$33.57Benton (Iowa)+$33.57Harrison (Omaha): market median $39.36, prevailing (union) $58.80, gap +$19.44Harrison (Omaha)+$19.44Woodbury (Sioux City): market median $23.56, prevailing (survey) $31.75, gap +$8.19Woodbury (Sioux City)+$8.19Jasper (Des Moines): market median $33.85, prevailing (survey) $26.36, gap −$7.49Jasper (Des Moines)−$7.49
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BentonUnion ASBE0081-001 2025-06-01$36.06$24.35$60.41IA20260078
DubuqueUnion ASBE0081-001 2025-06-01$36.06$24.35$60.41IA20260065
JonesUnion ASBE0081-001 2025-06-01$36.06$24.35$60.41IA20260078
LinnUnion ASBE0081-001 2025-06-01$36.06$24.35$60.41IA20260069
ScottUnion ASBE0081-001 2025-06-01$36.06$24.35$60.41IA20260073
HarrisonUnion ASBE0039-002 2024-06-28$38.26$20.54$58.80IA20260067
MillsUnion ASBE0039-002 2024-06-28$38.26$20.54$58.80IA20260070
PottawattamieUnion ASBE0039-002 2024-06-28$38.26$20.54$58.80IA20260072
MuscatineSurvey SUIA2016-023 2016-07-19$24.80$10.17$34.97IA20260050
Black HawkSurvey SUIA2016-037 2016-07-19$23.28$8.91$32.19IA20260062
BremerSurvey SUIA2016-038 2016-07-19$23.28$8.91$32.19IA20260063
GrundySurvey SUIA2016-041 2016-07-19$23.28$8.91$32.19IA20260066
WoodburySurvey SUIA2016-052 2016-07-19$23.50$8.25$31.75IA20260077
AppanooseSurvey SUIA2016-005 2016-07-19$19.04$7.32$26.36IA20260032
CedarSurvey SUIA2016-009 2016-07-19$19.04$7.32$26.36IA20260036

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

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

92.4kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-09
+4.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202592kSep 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

More on Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Iowa?

The median insulation worker in Iowa earned $26.84 an hour ($55,820 a year) in May 2025, 14% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $21.72–$34.72; the top 10% earn more than $36.14.

Where does Iowa rank for insulation worker pay?

Iowa ranks 10th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $26.84 an hour, and 3rd after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 8 counties, with a typical package of $60.41 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Iowa?

BLS counted 460 insulation workers in Iowa in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.03; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is insulation worker work growing in Iowa?

Iowa's labor market agency projects +7.3% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 320 to 340 jobs.

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

Iowa projects about 30 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, Iowa 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: Iowa labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.