Insulation Workers, Mechanical
US occupation · SOC 47-2132
Job titles people report: Commercial Insulator, Heat and Frost Insulator, Industrial Insulator, Insulation Installer, Insulation Mechanic, Insulation Worker, Insulator, Insulator Journeyman, Mechanic Insulator, Mechanical Insulator
Pay and outlook
- Median annual wage, May 2025
- $58,340
- Half earn more, half earn less
- Middle half earn
- $48,100 – $77,360
- 25th to 75th percentile
- People employed, May 2025
- 25,660
- Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
- Projected change, 2025–35
- +5.1%
- At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)
- Openings a year (projected)
- 1,800
- New jobs plus replacing people who leave
- Typical education to enter
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BLS
- All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
- Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
- Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.
What the work involves
Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
Main tasks
- Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors.
- Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures.
- Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.
- Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required.
- Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use.
- Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic.
- Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage.
- Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements.
Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.
Getting in
- Typical education to enter (BLS)
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training once hired: apprenticeship
- O*NET Job Zone 1–2
- Little to some preparation
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Interests it suits
The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.
- Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
- Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
- Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas
Fields of study that lead here
From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 1 programme to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.
Fields
Our college matcher doesn't offer this field as a major, so we can't suggest colleges for it here.
Construction Trades
- Insulator
Related careers
Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
$49,120 median · +2.4% projected
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
$58,930 median · +2.5% projected
- Sheet Metal Workers
$61,800 median · +2.5% projected
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
$56,460 median · +9% projected
- Roofers
$55,440 median · +5.3% projected
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
$51,330 median · -6.2% projected
Sources
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0
Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk