Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Virginia

Median $21.54 an hour for — insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$21.54/hrMedian hourly wageVirginia, May data
$44,810/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.83 – $29.5510th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Insulation worker pay in Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrVirginia: 10th $17.83 · 25th $19.66 · median $21.54 · 75th $25.34 · 90th $29.55Virginia$21.54$17.83$29.55United 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: Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

Virginia ranks 42nd of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 43rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $21.31). — insulation workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.83 – $19.66$37,080 – $40,890roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$19.66 – $25.34$40,890 – $52,720the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$25.34 – $29.55$52,720 – $61,470the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrWashington DC: $22.07Washington DC$22.07Virginia Beach: $21.03Virginia Beach$21.03Lynchburg: $18.38Lynchburg$18.38
Median hourly wage for insulation workers by metro area in Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$19.75$22.07$20.27$37.541,3302% above
Virginia Beach$17.07$21.03$21.48$25.871602% below
Lynchburg$17.27$18.38$20.56$24.425015% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Outlook for insulation workers in Virginia

No state projection is published for insulation workers in Virginia. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% growth over 2025-35 with about 3,000 openings a year; the national page has the openings breakdown and every state that does publish a figure.

Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers in Virginia

On federally funded construction in Virginia, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 131 of the 131 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $60.94 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $21.54.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, VAAccomack: $60.94 (union)Albemarle: $60.94 (union)Alleghany: $60.94 (union)Amelia: $60.94 (union)Amherst: $60.94 (union)Appomattox: $60.94 (union)Arlington: $60.94 (union)Augusta: $60.94 (union)Bath: $60.94 (union)Bedford: $60.94 (union)Bland: $60.94 (union)Botetourt: $60.94 (union)Brunswick: $60.94 (union)Buchanan: $60.94 (union)Buckingham: $60.94 (union)Campbell: $60.94 (union)Caroline: $60.94 (union)Carroll: $60.94 (union)Charles City: $60.94 (union)Charlotte: $60.94 (union)Chesterfield: $60.94 (union)Clarke: $60.94 (union)Craig: $60.94 (union)Culpeper: $60.94 (union)Cumberland: $60.94 (union)Dickenson: $60.94 (union)Dinwiddie: $60.94 (union)Essex: $60.94 (union)Fairfax: $60.94 (union)Fauquier: $60.94 (union)Floyd: $60.94 (union)Fluvanna: $60.94 (union)Franklin: $60.94 (union)Frederick: $60.94 (union)Giles: $60.94 (union)Gloucester: $60.94 (union)Goochland: $60.94 (union)Grayson: $60.94 (union)Greene: $60.94 (union)Greensville: $60.94 (union)Halifax: $60.94 (union)Hanover: $60.94 (union)Henrico: $60.94 (union)Henry: $60.94 (union)Highland: $60.94 (union)Isle of Wight: $60.94 (union)James City: $60.94 (union)King and Queen: $60.94 (union)King George: $60.94 (union)King William: $60.94 (union)Lancaster: $60.94 (union)Lee: $60.94 (union)Loudoun: $60.94 (union)Louisa: $60.94 (union)Lunenburg: $60.94 (union)Madison: $60.94 (union)Mathews: $60.94 (union)Mecklenburg: $60.94 (union)Middlesex: $60.94 (union)Montgomery: $60.94 (union)Nelson: $60.94 (union)New Kent: $60.94 (union)Northampton: $60.94 (union)Northumberland: $60.94 (union)Nottoway: $60.94 (union)Orange: $60.94 (union)Page: $60.94 (union)Patrick: $60.94 (union)Pittsylvania: $60.94 (union)Powhatan: $60.94 (union)Prince Edward: $60.94 (union)Prince George: $60.94 (union)Prince William: $60.94 (union)Pulaski: $60.94 (union)Rappahannock: $60.94 (union)Richmond: $60.94 (union)Roanoke: $60.94 (union)Rockbridge: $60.94 (union)Rockingham: $60.94 (union)Russell: $60.94 (union)Scott: $60.94 (union)Shenandoah: $60.94 (union)Smyth: $60.94 (union)Southampton: $60.94 (union)Spotsylvania: $60.94 (union)Stafford: $60.94 (union)Surry: $60.94 (union)Sussex: $60.94 (union)Tazewell: $60.94 (union)Warren: $60.94 (union)Washington: $60.94 (union)Westmoreland: $60.94 (union)Wise: $60.94 (union)Wythe: $60.94 (union)York: $60.94 (union)Alexandria: $60.94 (union)Bristol: $60.94 (union)Buena Vista: $60.94 (union)Charlottesville: $60.94 (union)Chesapeake: $60.94 (union)Colonial Heights: $60.94 (union)Covington: n/aDanville: $60.94 (union)Emporia: $60.94 (union)Fairfax: $60.94 (union)Falls Church: $60.94 (union)Franklin: $60.94 (union)Fredericksburg: $60.94 (union)Galax: $60.94 (union)Hampton: $60.94 (union)Harrisonburg: $60.94 (union)Hopewell: $60.94 (union)Lexington: n/aLynchburg: $60.94 (union)Manassas: $60.94 (union)Manassas Park: $60.94 (union)Martinsville: $60.94 (union)Newport News: $60.94 (union)Norfolk: $60.94 (union)Norton: $60.94 (union)Petersburg: $60.94 (union)Poquoson: $60.94 (union)Portsmouth: $60.94 (union)Radford: $60.94 (union)Richmond: $60.94 (union)Roanoke: $60.94 (union)Salem: $60.94 (union)Staunton: $60.94 (union)Suffolk: $60.94 (union)Virginia Beach: $60.94 (union)Waynesboro: $60.94 (union)Williamsburg: $60.94 (union)Winchester: $60.94 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrn/a
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$20$40$60$80/hrAmherst (Lynchburg): market median $18.38, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$42.56Amherst (Lynchburg)+$42.56Gloucester (Virginia Beach): market median $21.03, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$39.91Gloucester (Virginia Beach)+$39.91Albemarle (Virginia): market median $21.54, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$39.40Albemarle (Virginia)+$39.40Arlington (Washington DC): market median $22.07, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$38.87Arlington (Washington DC)+$38.87
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AccomackUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260007
AlbemarleUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260011
AlleghanyUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260008
AmeliaUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260170
AmherstUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260171
AppomattoxUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260012
ArlingtonUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260013
AugustaUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260014
BathUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260008
BedfordUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260171
BlandUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260009
BotetourtUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260172
BrunswickUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260010
BuchananUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260009
BuckinghamUnion ASBE0024-006 2024-10-01$40.77$20.17$60.94VA20260173

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Virginia prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Virginia?

230.8kConstruction jobsVirginia, 2026-09
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025231kSep 2026
Construction employment in Virginia (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Virginia

More on Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Virginia?

The median insulation worker in Virginia earned $21.54 an hour ($44,810 a year) in May 2025, 9% below the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $19.66–$25.34; the top 10% earn more than $29.55.

Where does Virginia rank for insulation worker pay?

Virginia ranks 42nd of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $21.54 an hour, and 43rd after adjusting for Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 101.1, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 131 counties, with a typical package of $60.94 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Virginia?

BLS counted — insulation workers in Virginia in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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