Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Also called: Industrial Insulator, Insulation Mechanic, Insulator, Mechanical InsulatorApply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 1 of its 9 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 5.1% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Insulation workers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 12.8 hires for every 10 job openings in construction, which employs about 95% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.12.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,930 | $46,730 to $57,450 | not published |
| Alaska | $84,410 | $82,130 to $89,110 | 40 |
| Arizona | $80,410 | $76,380 to $84,330 | not published |
| Arkansas | $51,390 | $49,090 to $59,660 | 130 |
| California | $119,690 | $63,570 to $151,370 | 1,310 |
| Colorado | $49,050 | $47,150 to $62,110 | 520 |
| Delaware | $44,850 | $38,460 to $61,190 | 340 |
| Florida | $49,660 | $38,230 to $58,900 | 480 |
| Georgia | $52,600 | $46,760 to $60,140 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $87,570 | $81,120 to $99,940 | not published |
| Illinois | $100,400 | $62,360 to $115,280 | 1,100 |
| Indiana | $72,220 | $58,890 to $81,800 | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $54,440 | $48,020 to $63,530 | 140 |
| Kansas | $49,050 | $46,090 to $58,870 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $46,150 | $45,120 to $60,870 | not published |
| Louisiana | $48,280 | $47,680 to $55,330 | 620 |
| Maine | $63,580 | $57,600 to $63,580 | 400 |
| Maryland | $70,030 | $59,090 to $83,920 | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $64,710 | $60,850 to $78,350 | 560 |
| Michigan | $58,860 | $49,380 to $77,750 | 650 |
| Minnesota | $105,670 | $66,820 to $109,350 | 250 |
| Mississippi | $50,180 | $44,620 to $55,690 | 120 |
| Missouri | $78,660 | $55,960 to $92,680 | 830 |
| Nebraska | $75,940 | $50,700 to $79,060 | 130 |
| Nevada | $114,130 | $65,900 to $123,760 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $107,610 | $91,480 to $123,920 | 330 |
| New Mexico | $53,120 | $47,630 to $56,990 | not published |
| New York | $59,120 | $48,650 to $82,900 | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $48,430 | $39,730 to $52,640 | 1,090 |
| North Dakota | $58,140 | $47,420 to $72,390 | 400 |
| Ohio | $67,600 | $58,730 to $77,580 | 990 |
| Oklahoma | $61,840 | $44,800 to $75,040 | 250 |
| Oregon | $119,480 | $105,860 to $127,380 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,770 | $55,580 to $88,050 | 590 |
| Rhode Island | $77,150 | $76,450 to $97,270 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $50,440 | $46,380 to $62,760 | 630 |
| Tennessee | $46,380 | $39,560 to $55,830 | 670 |
| Texas | $48,930 | $46,280 to $55,840 | 4,190 |
| Utah | $55,990 | $46,980 to $76,610 | 380 |
| Virginia | $57,010 | $49,190 to $62,180 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $92,120 | $69,910 to $107,700 | 500 |
| West Virginia | $74,200 | $63,340 to $90,750 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $85,120 | $60,380 to $90,440 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $48,190 | $46,810 to $57,920 | 540 |
Nationally: $58,340. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 1 of its 9 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors. | Not published |
| Not much | Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material. | Not published |
| Not much | Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use. | Not published |
| Not much | Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic. | Not published |
See all 9 tasks
| AI + software | Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces. | Not published |
| Not much | Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 9 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 9 tasks fall under 7 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #38 Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build structures | |||
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Cut materials | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for insulation workers, mechanical specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved in from
of 266 moves in
- 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 29%
- 2 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 6%
- 3 Childcare Workers Moderate -2.0% 6%
- 4 Sheet Metal Workers Low +2.5% 6%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 8% less than high school
- 72% high school
- 21% postsecondary certificate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 27 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 28% less than high school
- 46% high school
- 18% some college
- 5% associate's
- 3% bachelor's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Insulation workers” · 394 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Insulation workers”
1 program: Insulator.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (INSULATION WORKER; PIPE COVERER & INSULATOR). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Insulation Workers, Mechanical” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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