Insulation Workers, Mechanical Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of mechanical insulation workers to grow 5.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 1,400 more jobs), with about 1,800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $58,340 a year ranks 455th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.1%
- Openings a year
- 1,800
- Median pay
- $58,340
- Pay rank
- 455th of 825
Is employment of mechanical insulation workers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of mechanical insulation workers to rise 5.1% (about 1,400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +5.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 60 construction and extraction occupations with a projection. That change ranks 230th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 26,700 |
| Employment, 2035 | 28,100 |
| Projected change | +5.1% |
| Openings a year | 1,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 26,700 jobs here differ from the 25,660 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 563rd most of 830 occupations. About 92% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 140 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for mechanical insulation workers rank?
The median of $58,340 a year ranks 455th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: apprenticeship.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | +2.4% | 3,000 | $49,120 |
| Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | +2.5% | 6,600 | $58,930 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | +2.5% | 9,800 | $61,800 |
| Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles | +9.0% | 2,200 | $56,460 |
| Pipelayers | -3.1% | 2,100 | $49,000 |
| Roofers | +5.3% | 12,000 | $55,440 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | +6.8% | 42,000 | $63,800 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | +1.1% | 4,100 | $62,120 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.