The median pay for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall is $49,120 a year ($23.62/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.4% through 2035, with about 3,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-2131
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall in four numbers
- Median pay
- $49,120a year, or $23.62/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $78K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.4%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,00045,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202545.1K
- Projected 203546.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 45.1K Projected 2035 46.2K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school29.4%
- High school68.2%
- Certificate2.4%
Highest education held by insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall Segment Value Less than high school 29.4% High school 68.2% Certificate 2.4%
Also advertised as: Attic Blower, Insulation Estimator, Insulation Installer, Insulation Mechanic, Insulation Worker, Insulator.
Pay
How much do Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall make?
Every insulation worker, floor, ceiling, and wall in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$49,120
Middle half earn $43,200 to $60,980
- 10th
- $37,030
- 25th
- $43,200
- 75th
- $60,980
- 90th
- $78,190
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,030 |
| 25th | $43,200 |
| Median | $49,120 |
| 75th | $60,980 |
| 90th | $78,190 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $49,120
- Median hourly wage
- $23.62/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $54,740
- People employed
- 44,440
Versus all US occupations
At $49,120, Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall earn 4% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $1,860 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 18% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $78,190 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,030, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 20% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Nebraska pays the most at $73,140, and still leads at $81,174 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Nebraska | $73,140 | $81,174 | 310 |
| 2Washington | $67,750 | $63,310 | 2,330 |
| 3Mississippi | $62,880 | $72,315 | 290 |
| 4Oregon | $60,210 | $58,252 | 700 |
| 5New York | $59,100 | $54,762 | 1,600 |
| 6Maryland | $58,420 | $55,660 | 1,240 |
| 7Ohio | $58,400 | $62,949 | 870 |
| 8Alaska | $56,470 | $55,169 | 170 |
| 9Missouri | $56,040 | $61,707 | 830 |
| 10Iowa | $55,820 | $63,604 | 460 |
Job outlook
Is Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | +2.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall to change 2.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,000 openings are projected each year, 6.7% of the 45,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of insulation workers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of insulation workers varies by occupation (see table).
The continuing need to make new and existing buildings and systems more energy efficient will drive the demand for mechanical insulation workers.
Getting in
How to become an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
Most floor, ceiling, and wall insulators learn their trade on the job. Many mechanical insulators complete an apprenticeship program after earning a high school diploma or equivalent.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)68.2%
- Less than a High School Diploma29.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 68.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 29.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 2.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall do?
Line and cover structures with insulating materials. May work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.
Insulation workers, also called insulators, install and replace the materials used to insulate buildings or mechanical systems.
Day-to-day tasks
- Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, power saws, knives, or scissors.
- 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.
- Fit, wrap, staple, or glue insulating materials to structures or surfaces, using hand tools or wires.
- Distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors, ceilings, or walls, using blowers and hose attachments, or cement mortars.
- Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement or asphalt mastic.
- Fill blower hoppers with insulating materials.
- Move controls, buttons, or levers to start blowers and regulate flow of materials through nozzles.
- Read blueprints, and select appropriate insulation, based on space characteristics and the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most insulators work full time, and more than 40 hours a week may be required to meet construction deadlines. Those who insulate outdoors may not be able to work in bad weather, such as during a storm or in extreme heat or cold.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Drywall and insulation contractors66%
- Building equipment contractors15%
- Nonresidential building construction5%
- Self-employed workers2%
- Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Drywall and insulation contractors | 66% |
| Building equipment contractors | 15% |
| Nonresidential building construction | 5% |
| Self-employed workers | 2% |
| Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors | 1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.6
- Active Learning2.6
- Mathematics2.3
- Writing2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.3 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Operations Monitoring2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Time Management2.8
- Persuasion2.6
- Quality Control Analysis2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Persuasion | 2.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional4.0
- Investigative1.8
- Artistic1.3
- Social1.1
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
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Median annual pay, with insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$49,120
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | $49,120 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
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Questions
Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall: frequently asked questions
How much do Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall make?
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall earn a median of $49,120 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 4% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.62/hr. The middle half earn between $43,200 and $60,980. The top 10% earn $78,190 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 68.2% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.4% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall do?
Insulation workers, also called insulators, install and replace the materials used to insulate buildings or mechanical systems. A core O*NET task: measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, power saws, knives, or scissors. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall the most?
The highest state medians for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall are Nebraska ($73,140), Washington ($67,750), Mississippi ($62,880) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Insulation Worker, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall?
O*NET scores Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.