Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Kentucky

Median $23.91 an hour for 400 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$23.91/hrMedian hourly wageKentucky, May data
$49,730/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.96 – $44.2910th to 90th percentilehourly range
400Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Insulation worker pay in Kentucky: the full range

Wage percentiles, KentuckyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrKentucky: 10th $18.96 · 25th $21.58 · median $23.91 · 75th $37.24 · 90th $44.29Kentucky$23.91$18.96$44.29United 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: Kentucky vs United States, May 2025.

Kentucky ranks 21st of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 12th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.51). 400 insulation workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.96 – $21.58$39,430 – $44,880roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$21.58 – $37.24$44,880 – $77,450the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.24 – $44.29$77,450 – $92,110the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Kentucky

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrCincinnati: $28.06Cincinnati$28.06Louisville: $26.98Louisville$26.98Lexington: $20.90Lexington$20.90
Median hourly wage for insulation workers by metro area in Kentucky, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Cincinnati$20.00$28.06$29.41$46.469017% above
Louisville$20.03$26.98$28.98$38.0419013% above
Lexington$18.47$20.90$22.50$37.436013% 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 Kentucky?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 35th of 47 states

BLS counted 400 insulation workers in Kentucky in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 18%. 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 Kentucky

+4.5%Projected growth in Kentucky2024–2034, state agency
50Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
550Jobs in 2024580 projected for 2034
+2.4%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Kentucky's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by +4.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 550 to 580, with about 50 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 400 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Kentucky 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 Kentucky

On federally funded construction in Kentucky, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 98 of the 119 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $50.89 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $52.93). 2 of the 119 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Hardin County at $39.50). The market median for the state is $23.91.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KYAdair: $48.78 (union)Allen: $52.93 (survey)Anderson: $50.89 (union)Ballard: $50.89 (union)Barren: $48.78 (union)Bath: $50.89 (union)Bell: $68.92 (union)Boone: $58.27 (union)Bourbon: $50.89 (union)Boyd: $58.27 (union)Boyle: $50.89 (union)Bracken: $58.27 (union)Breathitt: $68.92 (union)Breckinridge: $50.89 (union)Bullitt: $52.93 (survey)Butler: $52.93 (survey)Caldwell: $50.89 (union)Calloway: $50.89 (union)Campbell: $58.27 (union)Carlisle: $50.89 (union)Carroll: $50.89 (union)Carter: $68.92 (union)Casey: $48.78 (union)Christian: $52.93 (survey)Clark: $50.89 (union)Clay: $68.92 (union)Clinton: $48.78 (union)Crittenden: $50.89 (union)Cumberland: $48.78 (union)Daviess: $52.93 (survey)Edmonson: $52.93 (survey)Elliott: $68.92 (union)Estill: $50.89 (union)Fayette: $50.89 (union)Fleming: $50.89 (union)Floyd: $68.92 (union)Franklin: $50.89 (union)Fulton: $50.89 (union)Gallatin: $58.27 (union)Garrard: $50.89 (union)Grant: $58.27 (union)Graves: $50.89 (union)Grayson: $50.89 (union)Green: $48.78 (union)Greenup: $58.27 (union)Hancock: $52.93 (survey)Hardin: $39.50 (survey)Harlan: $68.92 (union)Harrison: $50.89 (union)Hart: $48.78 (union)Henderson: $52.93 (survey)Henry: $52.93 (survey)Hickman: $50.89 (union)Hopkins: $50.89 (union)Jackson: $68.92 (union)Jefferson: $39.50 (survey)Jessamine: $50.89 (union)Johnson: $68.92 (union)Kenton: $58.27 (union)Knott: $68.92 (union)Knox: $48.78 (union)Larue: $52.93 (survey)Laurel: $48.78 (union)Lawrence: $68.92 (union)Lee: $68.92 (union)Leslie: $68.92 (union)Letcher: $68.92 (union)Lewis: $50.89 (union)Lincoln: $50.89 (union)Livingston: $50.89 (union)Logan: $48.78 (union)Lyon: $50.89 (union)McCracken: $50.89 (union)McCreary: $48.78 (union)McLean: $52.93 (survey)Madison: $50.89 (union)Magoffin: $68.92 (union)Marion: $48.78 (union)Marshall: $50.89 (union)Martin: $68.92 (union)Mason: $58.27 (union)Meade: $52.93 (survey)Menifee: $50.89 (union)Mercer: $50.89 (union)Metcalfe: $48.78 (union)Monroe: $48.78 (union)Montgomery: $50.89 (union)Morgan: $68.92 (union)Muhlenberg: $50.89 (union)Nelson: $52.93 (survey)Nicholas: $50.89 (union)Ohio: $50.89 (union)Oldham: $52.93 (survey)Owen: $50.89 (union)Owsley: $68.92 (union)Pendleton: $58.27 (union)Perry: $68.92 (union)Pike: $68.92 (union)Powell: $50.89 (union)Pulaski: $48.78 (union)Robertson: $50.89 (union)Rockcastle: $50.89 (union)Rowan: $50.89 (union)Russell: $48.78 (union)Scott: $50.89 (union)Shelby: $52.93 (survey)Simpson: $48.78 (union)Spencer: $52.93 (survey)Taylor: $48.78 (union)Todd: $50.89 (union)Trigg: n/aTrimble: $52.93 (survey)Union: $50.89 (union)Warren: $52.93 (survey)Washington: $50.89 (union)Wayne: $48.78 (union)Webster: $52.93 (survey)Whitley: $48.78 (union)Wolfe: $68.92 (union)Woodford: $50.89 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$50.89$52.93$58.27n/asurvey 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)$0$20$40$60$80/hrCarter (Kentucky): market median $23.91, prevailing (union) $68.92, gap +$45.01Carter (Kentucky)+$45.01Boone (Cincinnati): market median $28.06, prevailing (union) $58.27, gap +$30.21Boone (Cincinnati)+$30.21Bourbon (Lexington): market median $20.90, prevailing (union) $50.89, gap +$29.99Bourbon (Lexington)+$29.99Bullitt (Louisville): market median $26.98, prevailing (survey) $52.93, gap +$25.95Bullitt (Louisville)+$25.95
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Kentucky.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BellUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260019
BreathittUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
CarterUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260022
ClayUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
ElliottUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
FloydUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
HarlanUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
JacksonUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
JohnsonUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
KnottUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
LawrenceUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260026
LeeUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
LeslieUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
LetcherUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043
MagoffinUnion ASBE0080-011 2025-02-24$38.05$30.87$68.92KY20260043

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

Is construction work growing in Kentucky?

95.6kConstruction jobsKentucky, 2026-09
+0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202640k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202596kSep 2026
Construction employment in Kentucky (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kentucky

More on Kentucky

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Kentucky?

The median insulation worker in Kentucky earned $23.91 an hour ($49,730 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $21.58–$37.24; the top 10% earn more than $44.29.

Where does Kentucky rank for insulation worker pay?

Kentucky ranks 21st of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $23.91 an hour, and 12th after adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.2, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Kentucky?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 98 counties, with a typical package of $50.89 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Kentucky?

BLS counted 400 insulation workers in Kentucky in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is insulation worker work growing in Kentucky?

Kentucky's labor market agency projects +4.5% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 550 to 580 jobs.

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

Kentucky projects about 50 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, Kentucky 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: Kentucky labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.