Career
Insulation workers, mechanical
Insulate pipes and mechanical systems.
$58,340
Median pay
+5.1%
Job growth, 2025–35
1,800
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Coordination.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though apprenticeship is typical, for a median of $58,340 a year and 1,800 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- InsulatorCIP 46.0414
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$49,120 · +2.4%
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$58,930 · +2.5%
- Sheet Metal Workers$61,800 · +2.5%
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$56,460 · +9.0%
- Pipelayers$49,000 · -3.1%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.