Insulation Workers, Mechanical Salary
Insulation Workers, Mechanicals in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $63,630 a year, or about $30.59 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $58,440 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 54.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $64K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Insulation workers, mechanical pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 53.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for insulation workers, mechanicals in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $49K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level insulation workers, mechanicals (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $26K 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 |
| Colorado | $49K | -16% | 520 |
| Kansas | $49K | -16% | 130 |
| Texas | $49K | -16% | 4,190 |
| Alabama | $49K | -16% | N/A |
| 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 with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track insulation workers, mechanical salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a insulation workers, mechanical afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 53.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insulation workers, mechanicals typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,851/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for insulation workers, mechanicals?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insulation workers, mechanicals make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $63,630 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,990, and experienced insulation workers, mechanicals can clear $83,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,197/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 53.5% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median insulation workers, mechanical salary is worth about $58,440 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.