Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,120 | $23.62 |
| Mean (average) | $54,740 | $26.32 |
| 90th percentile | $78,190 | $37.59 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,740 | $36,620 | $61,270 | 660 | 1.09 |
| Alaska | $56,470 | $24,770 | $83,200 | 170 | 1.86 |
| Arizona | $42,210 | $36,960 | $61,210 | 780 | 0.85 |
| Arkansas | $43,730 | $35,250 | $53,320 | 350 | 0.94 |
| California | $48,840 | $39,660 | $105,440 | 3,080 | 0.59 |
| Colorado | $50,800 | $40,340 | $70,630 | 1,210 | 1.47 |
| Connecticut | $48,550 | $38,310 | $61,940 | 300 | 0.61 |
| Delaware | $53,570 | $38,930 | $66,270 | 280 | 2.06 |
| Florida | $47,100 | $36,140 | $64,920 | 2,690 | 0.95 |
| Georgia | $47,810 | $35,730 | $95,130 | 900 | 0.65 |
| Idaho | $41,550 | $34,000 | $60,630 | 330 | 1.35 |
| Illinois | $53,000 | $37,660 | $95,180 | 780 | 0.45 |
| Indiana | $54,630 | $37,760 | $76,220 | 780 | 0.86 |
| Iowa | $55,820 | $42,210 | $75,170 | 460 | 1.03 |
| Kansas | $51,520 | $40,240 | $89,110 | 430 | 1.05 |
| Kentucky | $49,730 | $39,430 | $92,110 | 400 | 0.7 |
| Louisiana | $47,340 | $37,040 | $62,340 | 1,610 | 2.91 |
| Maine | $47,790 | $37,260 | $62,710 | 440 | 2.39 |
| Maryland | $58,420 | $38,170 | $87,360 | 1,240 | 1.57 |
| Massachusetts | $48,940 | $44,610 | $59,290 | 710 | 0.68 |
| Michigan | $46,490 | $32,360 | $79,620 | 710 | 0.56 |
| Minnesota | $54,350 | $38,960 | $101,930 | 1,090 | 1.29 |
| Mississippi | $62,880 | $40,280 | $62,880 | 290 | 0.88 |
| Missouri | $56,040 | $38,550 | $90,370 | 830 | 0.99 |
| Montana | $48,100 | $36,990 | $83,340 | 490 | 3.36 |
| Nebraska | $73,140 | $44,550 | $82,280 | 310 | 1.07 |
| Nevada | $46,510 | $37,390 | $76,030 | 660 | 1.48 |
| New Hampshire | $51,320 | $39,850 | $60,650 | 230 | 1.16 |
| New Jersey | $52,750 | $36,760 | $94,540 | 820 | 0.67 |
| New Mexico | $48,460 | $36,190 | $78,190 | 250 | 1.01 |
| New York | $59,100 | $44,140 | $98,200 | 1,600 | 0.58 |
| North Carolina | $42,990 | $31,110 | $60,080 | 2,090 | 1.48 |
| North Dakota | $46,450 | $38,830 | $60,430 | 260 | 2.08 |
| Ohio | $58,400 | $37,870 | $80,010 | 870 | 0.55 |
| Oklahoma | $46,880 | $34,870 | $70,160 | 570 | 1.17 |
| Oregon | $60,210 | $35,660 | $80,140 | 700 | 1.25 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,600 | $38,330 | $73,580 | 610 | 0.35 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,040 | $22,270 | $35,350 | 110 | 0.42 |
| South Carolina | $47,020 | $35,140 | $67,840 | 730 | 1.1 |
| South Dakota | $45,820 | $35,890 | $60,320 | 340 | 2.59 |
| Tennessee | $48,410 | $34,900 | $71,490 | 1,160 | 1.24 |
| Texas | $48,740 | $36,250 | $63,240 | 7,120 | 1.77 |
| Utah | $40,080 | $35,440 | $53,090 | 300 | 0.6 |
| Vermont | $53,570 | $44,780 | $70,260 | 110 | 1.29 |
| Virginia | $44,810 | $37,080 | $61,470 | ||
| Washington | $67,750 | $45,380 | $132,770 | 2,330 | 2.3 |
| West Virginia | $35,390 | $34,580 | $59,360 | 70 | 0.33 |
| Wisconsin | $49,520 | $39,980 | $64,160 | 650 | 0.77 |
| Wyoming | $46,200 | $36,400 | $56,830 | 170 | 2.1 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Insulator CIP 46.0414
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, power saws, knives, or scissors.
- Fit, wrap, staple, or glue insulating materials to structures or surfaces, using hand tools or wires.
- Cover and line structures with blown or rolled forms of materials to insulate against cold, heat, or moisture, using saws, knives, rasps, trowels, blowers, or other tools and implements.
- Distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors, ceilings, or walls, using blowers and hose attachments, or cement mortars.
- Move controls, buttons, or levers to start blowers and regulate flow of materials through nozzles.
- Fill blower hoppers with insulating materials.
- Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement or asphalt mastic.
- Read blueprints, and select appropriate insulation, based on space characteristics and the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- CMSN FieldPAK
- Comput-Ability Mechanical Insulation Key Estimator
- North American Insulation Manufacturers Association NAIMA 3E Plus
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.
Common job titles: Attic Blower, Insulation Estimator, Insulation Installer, Insulation Mechanic, Insulation Worker, Insulator, Retrofit Installer, Spray Foam Installer, Warehouse Insulation Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall make?
The national median annual wage for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall was $49,120 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,030 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $78,190. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall a growing career?
BLS projects employment of insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall to change +2.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Nebraska ($73,140), Washington ($67,750), Mississippi ($62,880). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.