Wages
Insulator Pay in the US in 2026: Wages by State and Metro Area
Updated November 1, 2026
In the United States, the median wage for Insulation Workers, Mechanical (SOC 47-2132) is $28.05 an hour (BLS, data from May 2025). Pay depends on the state and the metro area. The tables below give hourly and yearly wages for each state with a BLS figure, and hourly wages for large metro areas.
What do insulators earn in the US?
The first two tables give the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wages for mechanical insulation workers across the United States. They give the wages by the hour and by the year. Half of the workers in the occupation earn more than the median, and half earn less.
Sources6
Mechanical insulator wages across the United States
Yearly mechanical insulator pay across the United States
Which workers do these BLS figures cover?
The BLS tables on this page cover one occupation: mechanical insulation workers (SOC 47-2132). The list below gives the BLS definitions of both insulation occupations and says where BLS counts apprentices.
Sources5
BLS occupation definitions
- BLS counts insulation workers in two occupations. Mechanical insulation workers (SOC 47-2132) apply insulating materials to pipes, ductwork or other mechanical systems. Floor, ceiling and wall insulation workers (SOC 47-2131) line and cover structures with insulating materials.[5]
- BLS counts apprentices in their trade's occupation, here mechanical insulation workers (SOC 47-2132), not with helpers.[5]
Which states pay insulators the most?
In the state table, California has the highest median, and Delaware has the lowest. The table also gives the 10th and 90th percentiles for each state with a figure, beside the median. The yearly table after it gives the same states in yearly pay.
Sources6
Mechanical insulator wages by state
Insulation Workers, Mechanical (SOC 47-2132) · Hourly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $20.25[6] | $23.52[6] | $27.98[6] |
| Alaska | $28.92[6] | $40.58[6] | $49.81[6] |
| Arizona | $22.39[6] | $38.66[6] | $43.39[6] |
| Arkansas | $22.49[6] | $24.71[6] | $39.36[6] |
| California | $27.74[6] | $57.55[6] | $79.59[6] |
| Colorado | $21.53[6] | $23.58[6] | $33.12[6] |
| Connecticut | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Delaware | $18.49[6] | $21.56[6] | $37.16[6] |
| District of Columbia | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Florida | $17.66[6] | $23.88[6] | $29.59[6] |
| Georgia | $19.15[6] | $25.29[6] | $30.77[6] |
| Hawaii | $30.47[6] | $42.10[6] | $55.51[6] |
| Idaho | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Illinois | $27.57[6] | $48.27[6] | $55.43[6] |
| Indiana | $22.47[6] | $34.72[6] | $45.67[6] |
| Iowa | $20.35[6] | $26.17[6] | $31.73[6] |
| Kansas | $21.80[6] | $23.58[6] | $29.99[6] |
| Kentucky | $20.50[6] | $22.19[6] | $29.57[6] |
| Louisiana | $17.95[6] | $23.21[6] | $28.30[6] |
| Maine | $24.56[6] | $30.57[6] | $35.43[6] |
| Maryland | $23.13[6] | $33.67[6] | $40.35[6] |
| Massachusetts | $21.04[6] | $31.11[6] | $37.69[6] |
| Michigan | $22.80[6] | $28.30[6] | $39.54[6] |
| Minnesota | $26.00[6] | $50.80[6] | $55.70[6] |
| Mississippi | $17.63[6] | $24.13[6] | $34.00[6] |
| Missouri | $23.21[6] | $37.82[6] | $44.70[6] |
| Montana | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Nebraska | $19.50[6] | $36.51[6] | $40.09[6] |
| Nevada | $24.92[6] | $54.87[6] | $59.51[6] |
| New Hampshire | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| New Jersey | $35.23[6] | $51.74[6] | $59.69[6] |
| New Mexico | $21.38[6] | $25.54[6] | $35.57[6] |
| New York | $21.89[6] | $28.42[6] | $46.90[6] |
| North Carolina | $16.94[6] | $23.28[6] | $27.41[6] |
| North Dakota | $22.56[6] | $27.95[6] | $35.84[6] |
| Ohio | $22.91[6] | $32.50[6] | $40.65[6] |
| Oklahoma | $18.66[6] | $29.73[6] | $36.27[6] |
| Oregon | $37.92[6] | $57.44[6] | $77.62[6] |
| Pennsylvania | $23.56[6] | $38.83[6] | $48.97[6] |
| Rhode Island | $28.54[6] | $37.09[6] | $47.05[6] |
| South Carolina | $20.91[6] | $24.25[6] | $38.68[6] |
| South Dakota | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Tennessee | $17.78[6] | $22.30[6] | $35.37[6] |
| Texas | $18.98[6] | $23.52[6] | $29.03[6] |
| Utah | $19.49[6] | $26.92[6] | $53.88[6] |
| Vermont | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Virginia | $19.72[6] | $27.41[6] | $30.53[6] |
| Washington | $28.92[6] | $44.29[6] | $62.40[6] |
| West Virginia | $27.56[6] | $35.68[6] | $45.18[6] |
| Wisconsin | $24.42[6] | $40.92[6] | $45.52[6] |
| Wyoming | $22.13[6] | $23.17[6] | $29.85[6] |
Yearly mechanical insulator pay by state
Insulation Workers, Mechanical (SOC 47-2132) · Yearly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,930[6] | $58,200[6] |
| Alaska | $84,410[6] | $103,610[6] |
| Arizona | $80,410[6] | $90,240[6] |
| Arkansas | $51,390[6] | $81,870[6] |
| California | $119,690[6] | $165,540[6] |
| Colorado | $49,050[6] | $68,880[6] |
| Connecticut | No published figure | No published figure |
| Delaware | $44,850[6] | $77,300[6] |
| District of Columbia | No published figure | No published figure |
| Florida | $49,660[6] | $61,550[6] |
| Georgia | $52,600[6] | $64,000[6] |
| Hawaii | $87,570[6] | $115,450[6] |
| Idaho | No published figure | No published figure |
| Illinois | $100,400[6] | $115,290[6] |
| Indiana | $72,220[6] | $94,990[6] |
| Iowa | $54,440[6] | $65,990[6] |
| Kansas | $49,050[6] | $62,370[6] |
| Kentucky | $46,150[6] | $61,510[6] |
| Louisiana | $48,280[6] | $58,870[6] |
| Maine | $63,580[6] | $73,690[6] |
| Maryland | $70,030[6] | $83,930[6] |
| Massachusetts | $64,710[6] | $78,390[6] |
| Michigan | $58,860[6] | $82,240[6] |
| Minnesota | $105,670[6] | $115,850[6] |
| Mississippi | $50,180[6] | $70,720[6] |
| Missouri | $78,660[6] | $92,980[6] |
| Montana | No published figure | No published figure |
| Nebraska | $75,940[6] | $83,380[6] |
| Nevada | $114,130[6] | $123,770[6] |
| New Hampshire | No published figure | No published figure |
| New Jersey | $107,610[6] | $124,160[6] |
| New Mexico | $53,120[6] | $73,990[6] |
| New York | $59,120[6] | $97,560[6] |
| North Carolina | $48,430[6] | $57,020[6] |
| North Dakota | $58,140[6] | $74,550[6] |
| Ohio | $67,600[6] | $84,540[6] |
| Oklahoma | $61,840[6] | $75,450[6] |
| Oregon | $119,480[6] | $161,450[6] |
| Pennsylvania | $80,770[6] | $101,850[6] |
| Rhode Island | $77,150[6] | $97,870[6] |
| South Carolina | $50,440[6] | $80,460[6] |
| South Dakota | No published figure | No published figure |
| Tennessee | $46,380[6] | $73,570[6] |
| Texas | $48,930[6] | $60,380[6] |
| Utah | $55,990[6] | $112,060[6] |
| Vermont | No published figure | No published figure |
| Virginia | $57,010[6] | $63,500[6] |
| Washington | $92,120[6] | $129,790[6] |
| West Virginia | $74,200[6] | $93,960[6] |
| Wisconsin | $85,120[6] | $94,680[6] |
| Wyoming | $48,190[6] | $62,080[6] |
Which metro areas pay insulators the most?
The metro table covers the 50 largest metro areas, by total jobs. It lists, by name, each of them that has a BLS figure for mechanical insulation workers. Among them, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA has the highest median, and Memphis, TN-MS-AR has the lowest. If your metro area is not in the table, use your state in the state table, which lists the 50 states and DC.
Sources6
Mechanical insulator wages in large metro areas
Insulation Workers, Mechanical (SOC 47-2132) · Hourly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $19.15[6] | $24.69[6] | $29.96[6] |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $18.94[6] | $28.04[6] | $38.07[6] |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $17.70[6] | $23.83[6] | $28.50[6] |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $27.57[6] | $49.85[6] | $55.43[6] |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $23.47[6] | $36.50[6] | $39.09[6] |
| Cleveland, OH | $23.58[6] | $33.50[6] | $40.65[6] |
| Columbus, OH | $23.67[6] | $36.82[6] | $40.74[6] |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $21.47[6] | $25.10[6] | $29.34[6] |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $22.67[6] | $23.58[6] | $33.11[6] |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $20.69[6] | $24.06[6] | $29.03[6] |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $23.38[6] | $35.98[6] | $47.14[6] |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $25.64[6] | $33.53[6] | $44.22[6] |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $24.92[6] | $58.59[6] | $59.50[6] |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $26.27[6] | $59.66[6] | $76.64[6] |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $20.50[6] | $22.86[6] | $36.12[6] |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $17.90[6] | $22.07[6] | $27.41[6] |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $18.38[6] | $23.88[6] | $30.02[6] |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $26.39[6] | $41.49[6] | $45.92[6] |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $26.00[6] | $52.58[6] | $55.70[6] |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $18.75[6] | $23.94[6] | $28.71[6] |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $22.03[6] | $33.99[6] | $60.31[6] |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $21.27[6] | $35.81[6] | $36.27[6] |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $18.49[6] | $29.64[6] | $51.59[6] |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $22.39[6] | $38.66[6] | $44.10[6] |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $22.47[6] | $38.48[6] | $41.35[6] |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $32.66[6] | $60.94[6] | $62.39[6] |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $28.42[6] | $36.30[6] | $46.84[6] |
| Richmond, VA | $18.32[6] | $23.78[6] | $27.92[6] |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $29.14[6] | $45.17[6] | $71.52[6] |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $22.30[6] | $26.96[6] | $53.88[6] |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $19.39[6] | $23.52[6] | $29.36[6] |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $29.41[6] | $53.98[6] | $76.78[6] |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $33.39[6] | $65.60[6] | $87.15[6] |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $23.76[6] | $38.10[6] | $44.71[6] |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $27.88[6] | $30.59[6] | $40.35[6] |
How much do apprentice insulators earn?
Public-works schedules set a rate for each apprentice step. The list below gives the New York City rate for each year of a heat and frost insulator apprenticeship, with its supplemental benefits.
Sources3
New York City heat and frost insulator apprentice prevailing wages, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
- First-year heat and frost insulator apprentice in New York City: $32.95 an hour plus $17.02 in supplemental benefits, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.[3]
- Second-year heat and frost insulator apprentice in New York City: $40.27 an hour plus $20.80 in supplemental benefits.[3]
- Third-year heat and frost insulator apprentice in New York City: $47.59 an hour plus $24.58 in supplemental benefits.[3]
- Fourth-year heat and frost insulator apprentice in New York City: $54.91 an hour plus $28.37 in supplemental benefits.[3]
Prevailing wage rates compared with the median
On public works, state and city rules set a rate for each trade. The list below gives the heat and frost insulator rates for Cook County, Illinois, and New York City, with their overtime rules. To compare a rate with the BLS median, find the metro area in the metro table. Keep two points in mind. Each public-works rate is for one classification, and the BLS median covers all mechanical insulation workers in the area. The public-works schedules are dated 2026, and the BLS medians are for May 2025.
Published prevailing wage rates for heat and frost insulators
- Cook County, Illinois prevailing wage for a heat and frost insulator on building work: $58.02 an hour base and $61.50 for a foreman, posted October 19, 2026.[1]
- In Cook County, Illinois, prevailing wage overtime for a heat and frost insulator is 1.5 times the base wage after 8 hours on a weekday and for every hour on Saturdays, and 2.0 times for every hour on Sundays and holidays.[1]
- New York City prevailing wage for a heat and frost insulator: $73.21 an hour plus $37.81 in supplemental benefits, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.[2]
- On New York City public works, a heat and frost insulator gets time and a half after an 8-hour day and on Saturday, and double time on Sunday.[2]
Do union construction workers earn more?
The list below gives BLS median weekly earnings for union members and non-union workers in 2025. The figures cover all construction and extraction occupations together, not insulators alone. The gap mixes many trades and regions, so use it as a general sign, not as the raise you would get in your trade.
Sources4
Weekly earnings by union membership in construction and extraction
- In 2025, full-time workers in construction and extraction occupations had median weekly earnings of $1,561 as union members and $1,004 as non-union workers. These are averages of 11 months, because BLS did not collect October 2025 data during the federal government shutdown.[4]
Before you move for insulation work
Check these points before you take a job in another state.
- Compare the metro median in the metro table, not only the state figure.
- Ask whether the job is on a public-works or union contract. The prevailing-wage list above gives rates for two places.
- Ask whether a quoted rate is base pay or a total package. New York City rates add supplemental benefits on top of the wage.
- Ask how overtime is paid. The prevailing-wage list above gives the Cook County and New York City rules.
- If you are an apprentice, ask which year you start in. The New York City list above gives a rate for each year.
How to read these figures
BLS gives percentiles for each place. The 10th percentile is the wage that 10 percent of mechanical insulation workers earn less than. The 90th percentile is the wage that 10 percent earn more than. All figures in the BLS wage tables are for May 2025. A cell that says No published figure has no BLS figure for that place.
Questions and answers
How much does an insulator make a year?
The yearly table gives the national figures for mechanical insulation workers. The yearly state table gives the median and the 90th percentile for each state with a figure.
How much does an insulator make in California?
California is in the state table. For a California city, look for its metro area in the metro table.
How much does an insulator make in Texas?
Texas is in the state table. For a Texas city, look for its metro area in the metro table.
How much does an insulator make in New York?
New York is in the state table. For New York City, find the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ row in the metro table. The prevailing-wage list gives New York City public-works rates.
Can Werko match me with a US insulator job?
No. Werko matches trades workers in Canada now. You can join the US waitlist on this page.
Sources
- Cook County Prevailing Wage Rates posted on 10/19/2026
Illinois Department of Labor. Retrieved October 31, 2026
- Construction Worker Prevailing Wage Schedule, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Office of the Comptroller, City of New York (Bureau of Labor Law). Retrieved October 31, 2026
- Construction Apprentice Prevailing Wage Schedule, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Office of the Comptroller, City of New York (Bureau of Labor Law). Retrieved October 31, 2026
- Table 4. Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by union affiliation, occupation, and industry, 2024-2025 annual averages
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved October 30, 2026
- 2018 Standard Occupational Classification System, major groups and definitions
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved October 31, 2026
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved October 31, 2026