Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in New Mexico

Median $23.30 an hour for 250 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical), May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since n/a.

$23.30/hrMedian hourly wageNew Mexico, May data
$48,460/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.40 – $37.5910th to 90th percentilehourly range
250Jobs countedemployer survey

Insulation worker pay in New Mexico: the full range

Wage percentiles, New MexicoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrNew Mexico: 10th $17.40 · 25th $18.33 · median $23.30 · 75th $29.76 · 90th $37.59New Mexico$23.30$17.40$37.59United 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 (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical): New Mexico vs United States, May 2025.

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 (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.40 – $18.33$36,190 – $38,120roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$18.33 – $29.76$38,120 – $61,900the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.76 – $37.59$61,900 – $78,190the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in New Mexico

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrAlbuquerque: $23.20Albuquerque$23.20
Median hourly wage for insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) by metro area in New Mexico, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Albuquerque$17.40$23.20$37.64170about the same as

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.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NMBernalillo: $48.49 (union)Catron: $32.87 (survey)Chaves: $32.87 (survey)Cibola: —Colfax: —Curry: $32.87 (survey)De Baca: $32.87 (survey)Doña Ana: $48.49 (union)Eddy: $32.87 (survey)Grant: $32.87 (survey)Guadalupe: —Harding: —Hidalgo: $32.87 (survey)Lea: $32.87 (survey)Lincoln: $32.87 (survey)Los Alamos: —Luna: $32.87 (survey)McKinley: —Mora: —Otero: $32.87 (survey)Quay: —Rio Arriba: —Roosevelt: $32.87 (survey)Sandoval: $48.49 (union)San Juan: $48.49 (union)San Miguel: —Santa Fe: $48.49 (union)Sierra: $32.87 (survey)Socorro: $32.87 (survey)Taos: —Torrance: $48.49 (union)Union: —Valencia: $48.49 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrn/asurvey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for insulation workers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BernalilloUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260044
Doña AnaUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260045
SandovalUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260047
San JuanUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260046
Santa FeUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260048
TorranceUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260049
ValenciaUnion ASBE0076-008 2024-01-01$36.66$11.83$48.49NM20260049
CatronSurvey SUNM2010-001 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260013
ChavesSurvey SUNM2010-002 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260014
CurrySurvey SUNM2010-004 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260016
De BacaSurvey SUNM2010-005 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260017
EddySurvey SUNM2010-006 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260018
GrantSurvey SUNM2010-007 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260019
HidalgoSurvey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260032
LeaSurvey SUNM2010-008 2010-11-09$24.44$8.43$32.87NM20260020

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. 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?

58.6kConstruction jobsNew Mexico, 2026-08
+5.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k70k1990199520002005201020152020202559kAug 2026
Construction employment in New Mexico (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in 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 (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) in New Mexico in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.01; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Mexico and metro areas, SOC 47-2131, 47-2132.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.