Career profile · 47-2132
Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
What the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves some prior preparation and on-the-job learning. Check the specific employer, occupational credential and state requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 45.0%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 41.3%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 65.9%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Once a month or more but not every week | 35.1%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Never | 61.6%08/2023 · sample 31 |
| Spend Time Standing | Continually or almost continually | 80.5%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 64.5%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 52.0%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 91.9%08/2023 · sample 32 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 71.9%08/2023 · sample 32 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: North American Insulation Manufacturers Association NAIMA 3E Plus
- Data base user interface and query software: CMSN FieldPAK, Comput-Ability Mechanical Insulation Key Estimator
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: IBM Maximo Asset Management
- Project management software: Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for insulation workers, mechanical
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 44 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,930 | $23.52 | Not published |
| Alaska | $84,410 | $40.58 | 40 |
| Arizona | $80,410 | $38.66 | Not published |
| Arkansas | $51,390 | $24.71 | 130 |
| California | $119,690 | $57.55 | 1,310 |
| Colorado | $49,050 | $23.58 | 520 |
| Delaware | $44,850 | $21.56 | 340 |
| Florida | $49,660 | $23.88 | 480 |
| Georgia | $52,600 | $25.29 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $87,570 | $42.10 | Not published |
| Illinois | $100,400 | $48.27 | 1,100 |
| Indiana | $72,220 | $34.72 | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $54,440 | $26.17 | 140 |
| Kansas | $49,050 | $23.58 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $46,150 | $22.19 | Not published |
| Louisiana | $48,280 | $23.21 | 620 |
| Maine | $63,580 | $30.57 | 400 |
| Maryland | $70,030 | $33.67 | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $64,710 | $31.11 | 560 |
| Michigan | $58,860 | $28.30 | 650 |
| Minnesota | $105,670 | $50.80 | 250 |
| Mississippi | $50,180 | $24.13 | 120 |
| Missouri | $78,660 | $37.82 | 830 |
| Nebraska | $75,940 | $36.51 | 130 |
| Nevada | $114,130 | $54.87 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $107,610 | $51.74 | 330 |
| New Mexico | $53,120 | $25.54 | Not published |
| New York | $59,120 | $28.42 | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $48,430 | $23.28 | 1,090 |
| North Dakota | $58,140 | $27.95 | 400 |
| Ohio | $67,600 | $32.50 | 990 |
| Oklahoma | $61,840 | $29.73 | 250 |
| Oregon | $119,480 | $57.44 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,770 | $38.83 | 590 |
| Rhode Island | $77,150 | $37.09 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $50,440 | $24.25 | 630 |
| Tennessee | $46,380 | $22.30 | 670 |
| Texas | $48,930 | $23.52 | 4,190 |
| Utah | $55,990 | $26.92 | 380 |
| Virginia | $57,010 | $27.41 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $92,120 | $44.29 | 500 |
| West Virginia | $74,200 | $35.68 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $85,120 | $40.92 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $48,190 | $23.17 | 540 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 86 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers→
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall→
- Solar Energy Installation Managers→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
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 CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 47-2132.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.