Insulation Workers, Mechanical Salary
Insulation Workers, Mechanicals in Columbia, SC make a median of $46,970 a year, or about $22.58 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $50,149 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 39.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About insulation workers, mechanicals
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for insulation workers, mechanical in Columbia runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for insulation workers, mechanicals.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for insulation workers, mechanicals in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $51K | $55K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $49K | $48K |
| Florence | $49K | $57K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $50K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level insulation workers, mechanicals (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Insulation Workers, Mechanical pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Insulation Workers, Mechanical salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $120K | +105% | 1,310 |
| Oregon | $119K | +105% | 170 |
| Nevada | $114K | +96% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $108K | +84% | 330 |
| Minnesota | $106K | +81% | 250 |
| Illinois | $100K | +72% | 1,100 |
| Washington | $92K | +58% | 500 |
| Hawaii | $88K | +50% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $85K | +46% | 600 |
| Alaska | $84K | +45% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +38% | 590 |
| Arizona | $80K | +38% | N/A |
| Missouri | $79K | +35% | 830 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +32% | 60 |
| Nebraska | $76K | +30% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $74K | +27% | 90 |
| Indiana | $72K | +24% | 1,320 |
| Maryland | $70K | +20% | 450 |
| Ohio | $68K | +16% | 990 |
| Massachusetts | $65K | +11% | 560 |
| Maine | $64K | +9% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | +6% | 250 |
| New York | $59K | +1% | 1,490 |
| Michigan | $59K | +1% | 650 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -0% | 400 |
| Virginia | $57K | -2% | 1,350 |
| Utah | $56K | -4% | 380 |
| Iowa | $54K | -7% | 140 |
| New Mexico | $53K | -9% | N/A |
| Georgia | $53K | -10% | 660 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -12% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -14% | 630 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -14% | 120 |
| Florida | $50K | -15% | 480 |
| Kansas | $49K | -16% | 130 |
| Colorado | $49K | -16% | 520 |
| Alabama | $49K | -16% | N/A |
| Texas | $49K | -16% | 4,190 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -17% | 1,090 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -17% | 620 |
| Wyoming | $48K | -17% | 540 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -21% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -21% | N/A |
| Delaware | $45K | -23% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track insulation workers, mechanical salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insulation workers, mechanical afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for insulation workers, mechanicals in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insulation workers, mechanicals typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,609/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is insulation workers, mechanical a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $47K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for insulation workers, mechanicals?
Columbia pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do insulation workers, mechanicals make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $46,970 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,490, and experienced insulation workers, mechanicals can clear $82,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,200/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 39.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a insulation workers, mechanical salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median insulation workers, mechanical salary is worth about $50,149 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do insulation workers, mechanicals get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.