Insulation worker vs insulator

The differences between insulation workers and insulators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an insulator has an average salary of $39,721, which is higher than the $31,172 average annual salary of an insulation worker.

The top three skills for an insulation worker include hand tools, ladders and tape measure. The most important skills for an insulator are safety procedures, tape measure, and ladders.

Insulation worker vs insulator overview

	Insulation Worker	Insulator
Yearly salary	$31,172	$39,721
Hourly rate	$14.99	$19.10
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	19,887	5,910
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 60%	High School Diploma, 55%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Insulation worker vs insulator salary

Insulation workers and insulators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Insulation Worker	Insulator
Average salary	$31,172	$39,721
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $31,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	Chelsea, MA	Lancaster, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	Tradesmen International	Jacobs Engineering Group
Best paying industry	Construction	-

Differences between insulation worker and insulator education

There are a few differences between an insulation worker and an insulator in terms of educational background:

	Insulation Worker	Insulator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 60%	High School Diploma, 55%
Most common major	Construction Management	Business
Most common college	-	-

Insulation worker vs insulator demographics

Here are the differences between insulation workers' and insulators' demographics:

	Insulation Worker	Insulator
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 98.1% Female, 1.9%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 34.6% Asian, 2.3% White, 47.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 33.9% Asian, 2.3% White, 48.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between insulation worker and insulator duties and responsibilities

Insulation worker example responsibilities.

Prepare asbestos for proper disposal and transporting to authorize sites.
Fit thermo block and magnesia-block insulation around insulating boilers, evaporators and turbines.

Insulator example responsibilities.

Prepare surfaces for insulation application, brushing or spreading on adhesive cement or asphalt.
Assist journeymen with insulation of pipes, air ducts, heating and cooling systems.
Involve insulating chill, hot water, and cryogenic plumbing as well as HVAC ducts in refineries and commercial buildings.
Maintain & follow all OSHA requirements and standards.
Ensure all journeymen have everything they need for the project.
Conduct jobsite safety analysis (JSA) recognize hazards and ensure they are addressed.

Insulation worker vs insulator skills

Common insulation worker skills

Hand Tools, 20%
Ladders, 14%
Tape Measure, 13%
Mechanical Systems, 10%
Storage Tanks, 8%
Insulation Materials, 6%

Common insulator skills

Safety Procedures, 8%
Tape Measure, 7%
Ladders, 7%
Asphalt, 6%
Mechanical Systems, 5%
Storage Tanks, 5%

Updated January 8, 2025

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