Skilled Wages

Insulation worker salary in Wisconsin

Median $23.81 an hour for 650 insulation workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since n/a and the state's own outlook.

$23.81/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$49,520/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.22 – $30.8410th to 90th percentilehourly range
650Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Insulation worker pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrWisconsin: 10th $19.22 · 25th $22.73 · median $23.81 · 75th $27.82 · 90th $30.84Wisconsin$23.81$19.22$30.84United 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: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 22nd of 48 states for median insulation worker pay, and 22nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.30). 650 insulation workers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.22 – $22.73$39,980 – $47,290roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.73 – $27.82$47,290 – $57,860the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$27.82 – $30.84$57,860 – $64,160the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Insulation worker pay by metro in Wisconsin

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrMinneapolis: $28.00Minneapolis$28.00Milwaukee: $24.10Milwaukee$24.10Green Bay: $23.71Green Bay$23.71
Median hourly wage for insulation workers by metro area in Wisconsin, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Minneapolis$18.76$28.00$26.72$50.0487018% above
Milwaukee$19.25$24.10$24.87$33.742201% above
Green Bay$18.35$23.71$25.47$26.66100about the same as

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 Wisconsin?

0.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 34th of 47 states

BLS counted 650 insulation workers in Wisconsin in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 15%. 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 Wisconsin

+7.0%Projected growth in Wisconsin2024–2034, state agency
60Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
640Jobs in 2024690 projected for 2034
+2.4%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects the number of insulation workers in the state to change by +7.0% between 2024 and 2034, from 640 to 690, with about 60 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 650 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

On federally funded construction in Wisconsin, contractors must pay insulation workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 72 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $89.37 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $33.73). 20 of the 72 counties still use a survey rate dated 2002 or earlier (for example Brown County at $33.73). The market median for the state is $23.81.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WIAdams: $89.37 (union)Ashland: $89.37 (union)Barron: $89.37 (union)Bayfield: $89.37 (union)Brown: $33.73 (survey)Buffalo: $89.37 (union)Burnett: $89.37 (union)Calumet: $33.73 (survey)Chippewa: $33.73 (survey)Clark: $89.37 (union)Columbia: $89.37 (union)Crawford: $89.37 (union)Dane: $33.73 (survey)Dodge: $89.37 (union)Door: $89.37 (union)Douglas: $33.73 (survey)Dunn: $89.37 (union)Eau Claire: $33.73 (survey)Florence: $89.37 (union)Fond du Lac: $89.37 (union)Forest: $89.37 (union)Grant: $89.37 (union)Green: $89.37 (union)Green Lake: $89.37 (union)Iowa: $89.37 (union)Iron: $89.37 (union)Jackson: $89.37 (union)Jefferson: $89.37 (union)Juneau: $89.37 (union)Kenosha: $33.73 (survey)Kewaunee: $89.37 (union)La Crosse: $33.73 (survey)Lafayette: $89.37 (union)Langlade: $89.37 (union)Lincoln: $89.37 (union)Manitowoc: $89.37 (union)Marathon: $33.73 (survey)Marinette: $89.37 (union)Marquette: $89.37 (union)Menominee: $89.37 (union)Milwaukee: $33.73 (survey)Monroe: $89.37 (union)Oconto: $89.37 (union)Oneida: $89.37 (union)Outagamie: $33.73 (survey)Ozaukee: $33.73 (survey)Pepin: $89.37 (union)Pierce: $33.73 (survey)Polk: $89.37 (union)Portage: $89.37 (union)Price: $89.37 (union)Racine: $33.73 (survey)Richland: $89.37 (union)Rock: $33.73 (survey)Rusk: $89.37 (union)St. Croix: $33.73 (survey)Sauk: $89.37 (union)Sawyer: $89.37 (union)Shawano: $89.37 (union)Sheboygan: $33.73 (survey)Taylor: $89.37 (union)Trempealeau: $89.37 (union)Vernon: $89.37 (union)Vilas: $89.37 (union)Walworth: $89.37 (union)Washburn: $89.37 (union)Washington: $33.73 (survey)Waukesha: $33.73 (survey)Waupaca: $89.37 (union)Waushara: $89.37 (union)Winnebago: $33.73 (survey)Wood: $89.37 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrsurvey 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)Prevailing (survey)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrKewaunee (Green Bay): market median $23.71, prevailing (union) $89.37, gap +$65.66Kewaunee (Green Bay)+$65.66Columbia (Wisconsin): market median $23.81, prevailing (union) $89.37, gap +$65.56Columbia (Wisconsin)+$65.56Milwaukee (Milwaukee): market median $24.10, prevailing (survey) $33.73, gap +$9.63Milwaukee (Milwaukee)+$9.63Pierce (Minneapolis): market median $28.00, prevailing (survey) $33.73, gap +$5.73Pierce (Minneapolis)+$5.73
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for insulation workers, metro counties in Wisconsin.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
AshlandUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
BarronUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
BayfieldUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
BuffaloUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
BurnettUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
ClarkUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
ColumbiaUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
CrawfordUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
DodgeUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
DoorUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
DunnUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
FlorenceUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
Fond du LacUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011
ForestUnion ASBE0034-005 2025-06-09$55.34$34.03$89.37WI20260011

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

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

160.1kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-09
+5.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025160kSep 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Insulation worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

More on Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do insulation workers make in Wisconsin?

The median insulation worker in Wisconsin earned $23.81 an hour ($49,520 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $23.62. The middle half earn $22.73–$27.82; the top 10% earn more than $30.84.

Where does Wisconsin rank for insulation worker pay?

Wisconsin ranks 22nd of 48 states for insulation worker pay, with a median of $23.81 an hour, and 22nd after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union insulation worker rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for insulation workers in 52 counties, with a typical package of $89.37 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many insulation workers work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 650 insulation workers in Wisconsin in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.77; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is insulation worker work growing in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin's labor market agency projects +7.0% growth for insulation workers between 2024 and 2034, from 640 to 690 jobs.

How many insulation worker openings a year are there in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin projects about 60 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, Wisconsin 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: Wisconsin labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.