Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in New York

Median $28.41 an hour for 1,600 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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: 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 work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.22 – $23.94$44,140 – $49,780roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.94 – $34.69$49,780 – $72,150the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$34.69 – $47.21$72,150 – $98,200the 75th to 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 by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
New York City$19.48$29.68$26.36$56.651,5004% above
Albany$20.84$27.50$27.61$33.78903% below
Syracuse$21.57$27.25$28.47$35.16804% below
Rochester$18.64$26.90$27.73$36.501005% below
Utica$19.11$24.98$26.95$37.105012% below
Buffalo$17.90$23.22$24.24$39.4214018% 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 New York?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 42nd of 47 states

BLS counted 1,600 insulation workers in New York in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 16%. 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 York

-3.4%Projected growth in New York2024–2034, state agency
150Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,960Jobs in 20241,890 projected for 2034
+2.4%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

New York's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by -3.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,960 to 1,890, with about 150 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,600 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: New York 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 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: n/aEssex: $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: n/aOnondaga: $70.54 (union)Ontario: n/aOrange: $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: n/aWestchester: $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 2026-11-13. 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?

396.1kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-09
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kSep 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

More on 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 in New York in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.58; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is insulation worker work growing in New York?

New York's labor market agency projects -3.4% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,960 to 1,890 jobs.

How many insulation worker openings a year are there in New York?

New York projects about 150 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 York 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 York labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.