Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in New York

Median $28.41 an hour for 1,600 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical), May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since n/a.

$28.41/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$59,100/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.22 – $47.2110th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,600Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Insulation worker pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrNew York: 10th $21.22 · 25th $23.94 · median $28.41 · 75th $34.69 · 90th $47.21New York$28.41$21.22$47.21United 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 York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 5th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 15th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.33). 1,600 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.22 – $23.94$44,140 – $49,780roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.94 – $34.69$49,780 – $72,150the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$34.69 – $47.21$72,150 – $98,200the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNew York City: $29.68New York City$29.68Albany: $27.50Albany$27.50Syracuse: $27.25Syracuse$27.25Rochester: $26.90Rochester$26.90Utica: $24.98Utica$24.98Buffalo: $23.22Buffalo$23.22
Median hourly wage for insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
New York City$19.48$29.68$56.651,5004% above
Albany$20.84$27.50$33.78903% below
Syracuse$21.57$27.25$35.16804% below
Rochester$18.64$26.90$36.501005% below
Utica$19.11$24.98$37.105012% below
Buffalo$17.90$23.22$39.4214018% below

Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 40 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $70.54 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $52.38). 2 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1994 or earlier (for example Tompkins County at $26.65). The market median for the state is $28.41.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: $69.32 (union)Allegany: $52.61 (survey)Bronx: $108.57 (union)Broome: $70.54 (union)Cattaraugus: $52.61 (survey)Cayuga: $70.54 (union)Chautauqua: $52.61 (survey)Chemung: $70.54 (union)Chenango: $70.54 (union)Clinton: $52.38 (survey)Columbia: $70.54 (union)Cortland: $70.54 (union)Delaware: $70.54 (union)Dutchess: $95.92 (union)Erie: —Essex: $52.38 (survey)Franklin: $52.38 (survey)Fulton: $52.38 (survey)Genesee: $53.33 (survey)Greene: $70.54 (union)Hamilton: $52.38 (survey)Herkimer: $70.54 (union)Jefferson: $70.54 (union)Kings: $108.57 (union)Lewis: $52.38 (survey)Livingston: $65.67 (union)Madison: $70.54 (union)Monroe: $65.67 (union)Montgomery: $52.38 (survey)Nassau: $108.57 (union)New York: $108.57 (union)Niagara: $68.34 (union)Oneida: —Onondaga: $70.54 (union)Ontario: —Orange: $95.92 (union)Orleans: $65.67 (union)Oswego: $70.54 (union)Otsego: $70.54 (union)Putnam: $95.92 (union)Queens: $108.57 (union)Rensselaer: $69.32 (union)Richmond: $108.57 (union)Rockland: $95.92 (union)St. Lawrence: $52.38 (survey)Saratoga: $69.32 (union)Schenectady: $69.32 (union)Schoharie: $69.32 (union)Schuyler: $52.61 (survey)Seneca: $52.61 (survey)Steuben: $50.32 (survey)Suffolk: $108.57 (union)Sullivan: $70.54 (union)Tioga: $70.54 (union)Tompkins: $26.65 (survey)Ulster: $95.92 (union)Warren: $69.32 (union)Washington: $69.32 (union)Wayne: —Westchester: $95.92 (union)Wyoming: $52.61 (survey)Yates: $36.72 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$52.61$69.32$70.54$95.92n/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)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrBronx (New York City): market median $29.68, prevailing (union) $108.57, gap +$78.89Bronx (New York City)+$78.89Dutchess (New York): market median $28.41, prevailing (union) $95.92, gap +$67.51Dutchess (New York)+$67.51Herkimer (Utica): market median $24.98, prevailing (union) $70.54, gap +$45.56Herkimer (Utica)+$45.56Niagara (Buffalo): market median $23.22, prevailing (union) $68.34, gap +$45.12Niagara (Buffalo)+$45.12Madison (Syracuse): market median $27.25, prevailing (union) $70.54, gap +$43.29Madison (Syracuse)+$43.29Albany (Albany): market median $27.50, prevailing (union) $69.32, gap +$41.82Albany (Albany)+$41.82Livingston (Rochester): market median $26.90, prevailing (union) $65.67, gap +$38.77Livingston (Rochester)+$38.77
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260003
KingsUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260003
NassauUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260012
New YorkUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260003
QueensUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260003
RichmondUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260003
SuffolkUnion ASBE0012-001 2025-06-01$71.76$36.81$108.57NY20260012
DutchessUnion ASBE0091-002 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260007
OrangeUnion ASBE0091-002 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260007
PutnamUnion ASBE0091-001 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260025
RocklandUnion ASBE0091-001 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260020
UlsterUnion ASBE0091-002 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260007
WestchesterUnion ASBE0091-003 2025-06-02$46.62$49.30$95.92NY20260017
BroomeUnion ASBE0030-004 2025-05-01$43.25$27.29$70.54NY20260004
CayugaUnion ASBE0030-006 2025-05-01$43.25$27.29$70.54NY20260101

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New York prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.0kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kAug 2026
Construction employment in New York (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in New York?

The median insulation worker in New York earned $28.41 an hour ($59,100 a year) in May 2025, 20% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $23.94–$34.69; the top 10% earn more than $47.21.

Where does New York rank for insulation worker pay?

New York ranks 5th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $28.41 an hour, and 15th after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 40 counties, with a typical package of $70.54 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in New York?

BLS counted 1,600 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) in New York in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.58; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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.