Insulation workers: licensing, jobs and pay in the United States
38,610 people work as insulation workers in the United States, and the median pay is $48,680 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 20,760 drywall and insulation contractor businesses with employees, with 250,758 employees and a payroll of $16,706,406,000 a year (2023 County Business Patterns).
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 38,610
- Median pay, a year
- $48,680
- Businesses with employees
- 20,760
Insulation workers by state
| State | Jobs | Median pay, a year | Businesses with employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,830 | $48,010 | 1,206 | 1.0 |
| California | 2,190 | $44,620 | 2,416 | 1.6 |
| Florida | 1,910 | $48,350 | 1,952 | 1.9 |
| New York | 1,890 | $63,500 | 1,108 | 1.3 |
| Tennessee | 1,460 | $45,170 | 287 | 0.9 |
| Ohio | 1,290 | $56,640 | 462 | 0.9 |
| North Carolina | 1,280 | $45,150 | 602 | 1.2 |
| Louisiana | 1,150 | $50,040 | 191 | 0.9 |
| Minnesota | 1,120 | $56,050 | 535 | 2.1 |
| Washington | 1,070 | $49,760 | 807 | 2.4 |
| Illinois | 1,060 | $49,840 | 532 | 1.0 |
| New Jersey | 1,060 | $55,770 | 514 | 1.4 |
| Colorado | 980 | $48,630 | 576 | 2.2 |
| Maryland | 890 | $58,870 | 331 | 1.3 |
| Missouri | 850 | $49,720 | 353 | 1.2 |
| Indiana | 830 | $50,510 | 331 | 1.1 |
| Massachusetts | 830 | $57,150 | 673 | 2.2 |
| Oklahoma | 790 | $45,730 | 231 | 1.3 |
| Alabama | 780 | $47,260 | 217 | 0.9 |
| Georgia | 750 | $45,900 | 581 | 1.3 |
| Michigan | 740 | $45,700 | 444 | 1.0 |
| Oregon | 680 | $62,830 | 376 | 2.0 |
| Arizona | 660 | $47,570 | 518 | 1.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 660 | $49,100 | 530 | 0.9 |
| Kentucky | 530 | $45,340 | 191 | 0.9 |
| Wisconsin | 530 | $54,640 | 463 | 1.7 |
| Montana | 510 | $49,770 | 220 | 4.2 |
| Kansas | 460 | $46,710 | 181 | 1.4 |
| South Carolina | 420 | $45,880 | 220 | 0.9 |
| Mississippi | 390 | $60,930 | 87 | 0.6 |
| Idaho | 370 | $41,340 | 418 | 5.3 |
| Maine | 360 | $58,750 | 147 | 2.0 |
| Utah | 350 | $48,330 | 451 | 3.7 |
| Arkansas | 340 | $45,220 | 146 | 1.0 |
| Iowa | 340 | $48,960 | 251 | 1.7 |
| Connecticut | 310 | $48,980 | 174 | 1.1 |
| Nevada | 300 | $61,920 | 184 | 1.4 |
| New Mexico | 260 | $42,740 | 134 | 1.4 |
| South Dakota | 250 | $40,190 | 127 | 3.1 |
| North Dakota | 240 | $49,860 | 100 | 2.7 |
| Nebraska | 220 | $44,560 | 200 | 2.3 |
| Wyoming | 180 | $47,700 | 102 | 3.7 |
| New Hampshire | 140 | $42,390 | 175 | 2.7 |
| Alaska | 110 | $40,330 | 89 | 2.7 |
| West Virginia | 100 | $37,780 | 44 | 0.5 |
| Vermont | 80 | $52,000 | 78 | 2.3 |
| Delaware | — | $46,700 | 88 | 1.9 |
| District of Columbia | — | — | 10 | 0.3 |
| Hawaii | — | — | 62 | 1.1 |
| Rhode Island | — | — | 112 | 2.3 |
| Virginia | — | $44,290 | 533 | 1.4 |
The highest median pay is in New York ($63,500), Oregon ($62,830), Nevada ($61,920).
The lowest is in West Virginia ($37,780), South Dakota ($40,190), Alaska ($40,330).
What insulation workers earn
| United States | |
|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $48,680 |
| Median pay, an hour | $23.41 |
| 10th percentile | $35,950 |
| 25th percentile | $40,270 |
| 75th percentile | $60,420 |
| 90th percentile | $77,160 |
| Average pay, a year | $53,440 |
Federal rules and model codes for insulation workers
Before demolishing or renovating a commercial or apartment building (homes of four or fewer units are generally outside the rule), the owner or operator must have it inspected for asbestos, notify the state or EPA, and remove regulated asbestos with set work practices (40 CFR part 61, subpart M).
Work for pay that disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint inside, or 20 square feet outside, in a home or child-occupied facility built before 1978 must be done by an EPA- or state-certified firm, directed by a certified renovator and done with lead-safe work practices; replacing windows always counts (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).
Insulation, windows and air sealing in new and altered homes are inspected against an energy code most states adopt from the International Energy Conservation Code, with their own edition.
A model code becomes law only where a state or city adopts it; the building or licensing department says which edition applies.
- EPA asbestos NESHAP for demolition and renovation (40 CFR part 61, subpart M)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- International Energy Conservation Code (ICC)
Licenses for insulation workers
Licensing for this trade is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; each state’s page links the official license lookup for it.
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Questions about Insulation workers
How much do insulation workers make?
The median pay for insulation workers in the United States is $48,680 a year, and half earn between $40,270 and $60,420 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many insulation workers are there in the United States?
38,610 people work as insulation workers, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
Where do insulation workers earn the most?
The highest median pay is in New York ($63,500), Oregon ($62,830), Nevada ($61,920).
Do insulation workers need a license?
Licensing is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists the licenses each state requires and the agency that issues each.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop License Finder
- EPA asbestos NESHAP for demolition and renovation (40 CFR part 61, subpart M)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .