Insulation worker salary in New Mexico
Median $23.30 an hour for 250 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.
Insulation worker pay in New Mexico: the full range
New Mexico ranks 28th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 23rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.27). 250 insulation workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $17.40 – $18.33 | $36,190 – $38,120 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $18.33 – $29.76 | $38,120 – $61,900 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $29.76 – $37.59 | $61,900 – $78,190 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Insulation worker pay by metro in New Mexico
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $17.40 | $23.20 | $37.64 | 170 | about the same as |
Are there more insulation worker jobs in New Mexico?
BLS counted 250 insulation workers in New Mexico in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 25%. 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 New Mexico
New Mexico's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by +5.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 270 to 280, with about 20 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 250 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Mexico 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 New Mexico
On federally funded construction in New Mexico, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 7 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.49 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.87). 14 of the 21 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Catron County at $32.87). The market median for the state is $23.30.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260044 |
| Doña Ana | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260045 |
| Sandoval | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260047 |
| San Juan | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260046 |
| Santa Fe | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260048 |
| Torrance | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260049 |
| Valencia | Union ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01 | $36.66 | $11.83 | $48.49 | NM20260049 |
| Catron | Survey SUNM2010-001 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260013 |
| Chaves | Survey SUNM2010-002 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260014 |
| Curry | Survey SUNM2010-004 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260016 |
| De Baca | Survey SUNM2010-005 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260017 |
| Eddy | Survey SUNM2010-006 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260018 |
| Grant | Survey SUNM2010-007 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260019 |
| Hidalgo | Survey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260032 |
| Lea | Survey SUNM2010-008 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260020 |
| Lincoln | Survey SUNM2010-009 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260021 |
| Luna | Survey SUNM2010-011 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260023 |
| Otero | Survey SUNM2010-013 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260025 |
| Roosevelt | Survey SUNM2010-015 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260027 |
| Sierra | Survey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260032 |
| Socorro | Survey SUNM2010-017 2010-11-09 | $24.44 | $8.43 | $32.87 | NM20260029 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Mexico prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in New Mexico?
Keep comparing
Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Mexico
More on New Mexico
Questions this page answers
How much do insulation workers make in New Mexico?
The median insulation worker in New Mexico earned $23.30 an hour ($48,460 a year) in May 2025, 1% below the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $18.33–$29.76; the top 10% earn more than $37.59.
Where does New Mexico rank for insulation worker pay?
New Mexico ranks 28th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $23.30 an hour, and 23rd after adjusting for New Mexico's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.2, US = 100).
What is the union insulation worker rate in New Mexico?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 7 counties, with a typical package of $48.49 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many insulation workers work in New Mexico?
BLS counted 250 insulation workers in New Mexico in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.01; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is insulation worker work growing in New Mexico?
New Mexico's labor market agency projects +5.6% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 270 to 280 jobs.
How many insulation worker openings a year are there in New Mexico?
New Mexico projects about 20 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, New Mexico 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: New Mexico labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.