SOC 47-2131.00

    Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall

    Line and cover structures with insulating materials.

    Median pay
    $49,120
    Growth
    +2.4%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    3,000
    Typical education
    No formal credential

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $37,030
    Median
    $49,120
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $78,190
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    44,440 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Insulation workers line and cover building structures with materials like batt, roll, or blown insulation to manage temperature. The career offers a median annual pay of $49,120, with opportunities for hands-on, physical work across the construction industry.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Line and cover structures with insulating materials. May work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career focus on lining and covering floors, ceilings, and walls with insulating materials to regulate temperature and energy efficiency. Day-to-day tasks center on handling and moving physical objects, performing general physical activities, and operating specialized machinery or vehicles. Workers must inspect equipment and structures to ensure materials are installed correctly, while monitoring surrounding processes to maintain safety.

    Success in this field requires strong realistic interests and practical skills like active listening, critical thinking, and equipment operation. Workers must coordinate their actions with others and communicate clearly with supervisors and peers. Key knowledge areas include building and construction, mechanics, mathematics, and public safety. Because the work is physical and requires precision, professionals rely on work styles such as dependability, cautiousness, attention to detail, and cooperation to complete projects safely and effectively.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires no formal educational credential, though many workers hold a high school diploma. Most preparation happens through on-the-job training or prior construction experience. Students interested in this pathway often study building or construction finishing, management, and inspection in college.

    While formal degrees are not standard, workers can build their credentials through industry certifications. Available options include the High Performance Insulation Professional - Entry certification from the High Performance Insulation Professionals, or the Plaster certification from the National Plastering Industry Joint Apprenticeship Trust Fund. Depending on the location of employment, some states also list specific licensing requirements for this type of construction work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for these insulation workers was $49,120. Earnings can vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $37,030 and the highest 10% earning more than $78,190.

    With 44,440 people employed in this field, the occupation is projected to grow by 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average for all careers. This growth and normal turnover are expected to result in 3,000 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    96 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    13 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    5 / 100
    Social (S)
    1 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    0 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    50 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Handling and Moving Objects
    81
    Performing General Physical Activities
    74
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    70
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    68
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    68
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    67
    Getting Information
    65
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    62
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    58
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    58
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Operation and Control
    • Speaking
    • Coordination
    • Monitoring
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Time Management

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mechanical
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Transportation
    • Mathematics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Design
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Extent Flexibility
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
    • Trunk Strength
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Visualization
    • Depth Perception
    • Finger Dexterity

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Air Conditioning Insulation Installer · Attic Blower · Blower Insulator · Ceiling Insulation Blower · Composition Weatherboard Installer · Construction Insulation Installer · Containment Worker · Cork Insulation Installer · Cork Insulation Setter · Cork Insulator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$49,120 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Utah Valley University

      Orem, UT · Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $82,443
      4 yrs after
      $97,793
      Median debt
      $11,042
    2. 2The University of Texas at San Antonio logo
      The University of Texas at San Antonio

      San Antonio, TX · Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $74,627
      4 yrs after
      $90,691
      Median debt
      $17,750
    3. 3Tuskegee University logo
      Tuskegee University

      Tuskegee, AL · Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $74,054
      4 yrs after
      $87,107
      Median debt
      Not reported
    4. 4
      Pennsylvania College of Technology

      Williamsport, PA · Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $69,819
      4 yrs after
      $74,310
      Median debt
      $27,000

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Insulator

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    23 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    Workers in this field are sometimes called attic blowers, blower insulators, ceiling insulation blowers, or construction insulation installers. Other common titles include cork insulation setters, composition weatherboard installers, and containment workers.

    What certifications can help an insulation worker?

    Workers can earn the High Performance Insulation Professional - Entry certification to show their competence in modern insulation techniques. Another option is the Plaster certification offered by the National Plastering Industry Joint Apprenticeship Trust Fund.

    Is a license required to work in this field?

    A license is not universally required, but some states do list licensing requirements for insulation installation. Job seekers should check the regulations in their specific state to see if a license is necessary.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.