Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in West Virginia

Median $17.01 an hour for 70 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical), May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since n/a.

$17.01/hrMedian hourly wageWest Virginia, May data
$35,390/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$16.63 – $28.5410th to 90th percentilehourly range
70Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Insulation worker pay in West Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, West VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrWest Virginia: 10th $16.63 · 25th $16.93 · median $17.01 · 75th $23.19 · 90th $28.54West Virginia$17.01$16.63$28.54United 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): West Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

West Virginia ranks 48th of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 48th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $19.01). 70 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$16.63 – $16.93$34,580 – $35,210roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$16.93 – $23.19$35,210 – $48,240the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$23.19 – $28.54$48,240 – $59,360the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in West Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrHagerstown: $27.37Hagerstown$27.37Washington DC: $22.07Washington DC$22.07
Median hourly wage for insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) by metro area in West Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Hagerstown$17.31$27.37$36.894061% above
Washington DC$19.75$22.07$37.541,33030% above

Union scale and prevailing wage for insulation workers in West Virginia

On federally funded construction in West Virginia, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 55 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $68.92 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $46.01). 2 of the 55 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Hampshire County at $46.01). The market median for the state is $17.01.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WVBarbour: $68.92 (union)Berkeley: $60.94 (union)Boone: $75.93 (union)Braxton: $68.92 (union)Brooke: $75.93 (union)Cabell: $75.93 (union)Calhoun: $68.92 (union)Clay: $75.93 (union)Doddridge: $75.93 (union)Fayette: $68.92 (union)Gilmer: $68.92 (union)Grant: $68.92 (union)Greenbrier: $68.92 (union)Hampshire: $46.01 (survey)Hancock: $75.93 (union)Hardy: $60.94 (union)Harrison: $75.93 (union)Jackson: $68.92 (union)Jefferson: $60.94 (union)Kanawha: $75.93 (union)Lewis: $68.92 (union)Lincoln: $75.93 (union)Logan: $68.92 (union)McDowell: $68.92 (union)Marion: $75.93 (union)Marshall: $75.93 (union)Mason: $68.92 (union)Mercer: $68.92 (union)Mineral: $75.93 (union)Mingo: $68.92 (union)Monongalia: $75.93 (union)Monroe: $68.92 (union)Morgan: $46.01 (survey)Nicholas: $68.92 (union)Ohio: $75.93 (union)Pendleton: $68.92 (union)Pleasants: $75.93 (union)Pocahontas: $68.92 (union)Preston: $75.93 (union)Putnam: $75.93 (union)Raleigh: $68.92 (union)Randolph: $68.92 (union)Ritchie: $68.92 (union)Roane: $68.92 (union)Summers: $68.92 (union)Taylor: $75.93 (union)Tucker: $75.93 (union)Tyler: $75.93 (union)Upshur: $68.92 (union)Wayne: $75.93 (union)Webster: $68.92 (union)Wetzel: $75.93 (union)Wirt: $75.93 (union)Wood: $75.93 (union)Wyoming: $68.92 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$68.92survey 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$20$40$60$80$100/hrBoone (West Virginia): market median $17.01, prevailing (union) $75.93, gap +$58.92Boone (West Virginia)+$58.92Jefferson (Washington DC): market median $22.07, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$38.87Jefferson (Washington DC)+$38.87Berkeley (Hagerstown): market median $27.37, prevailing (union) $60.94, gap +$33.57Berkeley (Hagerstown)+$33.57
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in West Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BooneUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260049
BrookeUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260050
CabellUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260035
ClayUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260049
DoddridgeUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260005
HancockUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260050
HarrisonUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260011
KanawhaUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260038
LincolnUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260039
MarionUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260015
MarshallUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260040
MineralUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260041
MonongaliaUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260042
OhioUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260044
PleasantsUnion ASBE0002-002 2024-08-01$46.50$29.43$75.93WV20260045

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

Is construction work growing in West Virginia?

36.1kConstruction jobsWest Virginia, 2026-08
-1.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k1990199520002005201020152020202536kAug 2026
Construction employment in West Virginia (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in West Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in West Virginia?

The median insulation worker in West Virginia earned $17.01 an hour ($35,390 a year) in May 2025, 28% below the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $16.93–$23.19; the top 10% earn more than $28.54.

Where does West Virginia rank for insulation worker pay?

West Virginia ranks 48th of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $17.01 an hour, and 48th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in West Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 53 counties, with a typical package of $68.92 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in West Virginia?

BLS counted 70 insulation workers (floor, ceiling, wall, mechanical) in West Virginia in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.33; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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