Pay Scale for Weatherization Workers

by Aurelio Locsin
Weatherization workers check for insulation in basement ceilings.

Weatherization workers check for insulation in basement ceilings.

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Weatherization is the process of insulating and sealing buildings using such materials as fiberglass, cellulose, polyurethane foam and polystyrene. Weatherization workers, also known as insulation workers, blow in or spray these substances into homes, businesses and stores so occupants can maximize energy use. Their pay scale depends on their employers and work locations.


Weatherization workers earned a mean $36,840 per year, or $17.71 per hour, as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10 percent made less than $20,750 yearly, or $9.98 per hour, while the best paid made over an annual $62,360, or $29.98 per hour. To earn these amounts, workers remove old insulation materials and install new ones in the spaces under floors, in attics and within walls. They also weatherstrip doors and windows and seal ducts, cracks or any holes through which energy can leak. Some jobs require protective clothing, such as facemasks, to prevent inhalation of blown-in materials.


With 16,880 out of 24,170 jobs, building finishing contractors were the biggest employers of weatherization workers, offering a mean $35,570 per year, or $17.10 per hour. Other major workplaces were building equipment contractors, structure and building exterior contractors, and residential and nonresidential building construction. The highest average pay of $44,490 yearly, or $21.39 hourly, was in nonresidential building construction, which provided 1,260 positions. The second highest paid workers were building equipment contractors; 2,400 such workers made mean salaries of $43,270 yearly, or $20.80 hourly.


The two most populous states offered the most job opportunities: Texas provided 2,080 jobs averaging $28,180 per year, or $13.55 per hour, and California followed, with 1,460 workers making $49,350 yearly, or $23.73 hourly. The states with the best-paying employers were Illinois, with mean salaries of $62,290 per year, or $29.95 per hour, and Alaska, averaging $53,840 yearly, or $25.88 hourly. For metropolitan regions, Atlanta, Georgia, had the most jobs with 730 and mean wages of $23,880 per year, or $11.48 per hour. Chicago had the highest wages at a mean annual $71,990, or $34.61 per hour.


ONET OnLine sees jobs for weatherization workers increasing at a faster-than-average 20 to 28 percent from 2010 to 2020. The demand comes from building owners wanting to minimize rising energy costs by insulating their structures. It also shows that almost two-thirds of workers had less than a high-school diploma. Most workers learn their skills on the job under more experienced employees or through supervisors. Trade schools and community colleges also offer training certificates, such as for weatherization installers; weatherization crew chiefs, who lead installation teams; and weatherization auditors, who check the results of insulation efforts.

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