Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Pennsylvania

Median $24.33 an hour for 610 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical), May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since n/a.

$24.33/hrMedian hourly wagePennsylvania, May data
$50,600/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.43 – $35.3810th to 90th percentilehourly range
610Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Insulation worker pay in Pennsylvania: the full range

Wage percentiles, PennsylvaniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrPennsylvania: 10th $18.43 · 25th $21.40 · median $24.33 · 75th $29.49 · 90th $35.38Pennsylvania$24.33$18.43$35.38United 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): Pennsylvania vs United States, May 2025.

Pennsylvania ranks 20th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.93). 610 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.43 – $21.40$38,330 – $44,510roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$21.40 – $29.49$44,510 – $61,350the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.49 – $35.38$61,350 – $73,580the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Pennsylvania

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrPhiladelphia: $24.19Philadelphia$24.19York: $23.69York$23.69Pittsburgh: $22.65Pittsburgh$22.65Lancaster: $22.42Lancaster$22.42Allentown: $20.01Allentown$20.01
Median hourly wage for insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) by metro area in Pennsylvania, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$15.49$24.19$39.043701% below
York$19.92$23.69$28.72503% below
Pittsburgh$18.14$22.65$35.381407% below
Lancaster$19.08$22.42$29.73608% below
Allentown$16.06$20.01$33.244018% below

Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers in Pennsylvania

On federally funded construction in Pennsylvania, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 54 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $69.81 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $52.41). 13 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Bedford County at $52.41). The market median for the state is $24.33.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, PAAdams: $69.81 (union)Allegheny: $75.93 (union)Armstrong: $75.93 (union)Beaver: $75.93 (union)Bedford: $52.41 (survey)Berks: $69.81 (union)Blair: $69.81 (union)Bradford: $65.25 (union)Bucks: $109.22 (union)Butler: $75.93 (union)Cambria: $69.81 (union)Cameron: $52.41 (survey)Carbon: $69.81 (union)Centre: $72.81 (union)Chester: $109.22 (union)Clarion: $75.93 (union)Clearfield: $52.41 (survey)Clinton: $52.41 (survey)Columbia: $65.25 (union)Crawford: $75.93 (union)Cumberland: $69.81 (union)Dauphin: $69.81 (union)Delaware: $109.22 (union)Elk: $52.41 (survey)Erie: $50.45 (survey)Fayette: $75.93 (union)Forest: $75.93 (union)Franklin: $69.81 (union)Fulton: $52.41 (survey)Greene: $75.93 (union)Huntingdon: $52.41 (survey)Indiana: $75.93 (union)Jefferson: $52.41 (survey)Juniata: $65.25 (union)Lackawanna: $65.25 (union)Lancaster: $69.81 (union)Lawrence: $75.93 (union)Lebanon: $69.81 (union)Lehigh: $69.81 (union)Luzerne: $65.25 (union)Lycoming: $65.25 (union)McKean: $52.41 (survey)Mercer: $50.59 (survey)Mifflin: $65.25 (union)Monroe: $65.25 (union)Montgomery: $109.22 (union)Montour: $65.25 (union)Northampton: $69.81 (union)Northumberland: $65.25 (union)Perry: $69.81 (union)Philadelphia: $109.22 (union)Pike: $65.25 (union)Potter: $52.41 (survey)Schuylkill: $69.81 (union)Snyder: $69.81 (union)Somerset: $52.41 (survey)Sullivan: $65.25 (union)Susquehanna: $65.25 (union)Tioga: $65.25 (union)Union: $65.25 (union)Venango: $75.93 (union)Warren: $75.93 (union)Washington: $75.93 (union)Wayne: $65.25 (union)Westmoreland: $75.93 (union)Wyoming: $65.25 (union)York: $69.81 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$65.25$69.81$75.93survey 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$50$100$150/hrBucks (Philadelphia): market median $24.19, prevailing (union) $109.22, gap +$85.03Bucks (Philadelphia)+$85.03Allegheny (Pittsburgh): market median $22.65, prevailing (union) $75.93, gap +$53.28Allegheny (Pittsburgh)+$53.28Carbon (Allentown): market median $20.01, prevailing (union) $69.81, gap +$49.80Carbon (Allentown)+$49.80Centre (Pennsylvania): market median $24.33, prevailing (union) $72.81, gap +$48.48Centre (Pennsylvania)+$48.48Lancaster (Lancaster): market median $22.42, prevailing (union) $69.81, gap +$47.39Lancaster (Lancaster)+$47.39York (York): market median $23.69, prevailing (union) $69.81, gap +$46.12York (York)+$46.12
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Pennsylvania.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BucksUnion ASBE0014-002 2025-05-01$60.84$48.38$109.22PA20260078
ChesterUnion ASBE0014-002 2025-05-01$60.84$48.38$109.22PA20260083
DelawareUnion ASBE0014-002 2025-05-01$60.84$48.38$109.22PA20260087
MontgomeryUnion ASBE0014-002 2025-05-01$60.84$48.38$109.22PA20260099
PhiladelphiaUnion ASBE0014-001 2025-05-01$60.84$48.38$109.22PA20260003
AlleghenyUnion ASBE0002-001 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260001
ArmstrongUnion ASBE0002-005 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260074
BeaverUnion ASBE0002-005 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260075
ButlerUnion ASBE0002-005 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260079
ClarionUnion ASBE0002-006 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260046
CrawfordUnion ASBE0002-006 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260049
FayetteUnion ASBE0002-005 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260089
ForestUnion ASBE0002-006 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260051
GreeneUnion ASBE0002-006 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260053
IndianaUnion ASBE0002-006 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93PA20260055

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

Is construction work growing in Pennsylvania?

272.7kConstruction jobsPennsylvania, 2026-08
-0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025273kAug 2026
Construction employment in Pennsylvania (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Pennsylvania

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Pennsylvania?

The median insulation worker in Pennsylvania earned $24.33 an hour ($50,600 a year) in May 2025, 3% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $21.40–$29.49; the top 10% earn more than $35.38.

Where does Pennsylvania rank for insulation worker pay?

Pennsylvania ranks 20th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $24.33 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.6, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Pennsylvania?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 54 counties, with a typical package of $69.81 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Pennsylvania?

BLS counted 610 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) in Pennsylvania in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.35; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pennsylvania 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.