Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2132.00United States
Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
- Median annual earnings
- $57,973
- Projected change
- +7.3%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 27.85K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
79.2% of the workforce
Growing to 29.88K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What insulation workers, mechanical do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required.
- Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.
- Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use.
- 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.
- Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic.
- Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $41,655
- 25th percentile
- $47,655
- 50th percentile
- $57,973
- 75th percentile
- $77,125
- 90th percentile
- $100,352
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $57,973 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.3%faster than average
202527,847 jobs
2035 projected29,880 jobs
2,033 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 79.2%
- Certificate
- 20.8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Industrial Insulators160 postings
- 02Pipe Insulators46 postings
- 03Insulators17 postings
- 04Marine Inspectors11 postings
- 05Mechanical Insulators11 postings
- 06Industrial Journeyman Electricians6 postings
- 07Sheet Metal Mechanics5 postings
- 08Industrial Estimators4 postings
- 09Insulation Installers4 postings
- 10Insulation Technicians4 postings
- 11Scaffold Builders4 postings
- 12Section Foremen4 postings
- 13Journeymen3 postings
- 14Piping Leads3 postings
- 15Sheet Metal Installers3 postings
- 16Building Consultants2 postings
- 17Construction Field Engineers2 postings
- 18Directors of High School Programs2 postings
- 19Freezer Managers2 postings
- 20HVAC/Plumbing Project Managers2 postings
Top employers
- 01Austin Industrial75 postings
- 02Huntington Ingalls Industries20 postings
- 03Brown & Root8 postings
- 04Brown & Root Industrial Services7 postings
- 05Hth Companies6 postings
- 06Marquis Industrial Services6 postings
- 07Redi Services6 postings
- 08Installed Building Products5 postings
- 09Monad5 postings
- 10Tradeworx5 postings
- 11Aerotek4 postings
- 12Carrier Corporation4 postings
- 13Chaparral Insulation4 postings
- 14Enywhey Services4 postings
- 15GPAC4 postings
- 16Gulf Coast Industrial4 postings
- 17Industrial Trade Services4 postings
- 18Niles Plant Services4 postings
- 19Palacios Marine Industrial4 postings
- 20Spartan Companies4 postings
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