Prevailing Wage for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
Prevailing wage rates for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (SOC 47-2131) set the minimum salary an employer must pay when sponsoring an insulation installer, insulation mechanic, or attic blower on an H-1B, E-3, or green card petition. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels, and the floor differs significantly from city to city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level insulation workers performing routine tasks under direct supervision, typically with limited hands-on experience in batt, roll, or blown insulation systems. Employers file here for new hires who require ongoing guidance and have not yet developed independent project judgment.
Level 2 applies to qualified insulation workers who handle standard installations with moderate supervision. This is the most common filing level for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall, reflecting journeyman-level experience across multiple insulation materials and building types.
Level 3 covers experienced insulators who work independently across complex projects, apply judgment to non-routine situations, and may provide informal guidance to junior crew members. Employers typically file here for workers with several years of demonstrated field experience.
Level 4 applies to fully competent insulators in senior or lead roles who oversee crews, manage scope decisions on large commercial or industrial projects, and operate with minimal supervision. Employers file here for de facto lead workers regardless of formal title.
Prevailing Wage for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your title matches SOC 47-2131
Job titles like insulation estimator or insulation mechanic are sometimes filed under construction management or a facilities SOC, setting a different wage floor. Verify your offer letter title maps to SOC 47-2131 before accepting, since a misclassified LCA cannot be corrected retroactively.
Watch for low-paying metros in the South
Prevailing wages for insulation installers in markets like Shreveport and Greenville run substantially below the national median at every level. If your offer is in one of these metros, compare your salary against the local OES floor, not the national figure, to avoid an underpayment gap.
Account for union-rate disparities in Northeast metros
Markets like New York and Albany show wage floors at Level 4 that are roughly double those in lower-cost metros, often reflecting prevailing union scale. Insulation workers sponsored in these areas should expect employer LCA wages to reflect that higher floor, not a national average.
Find employers who have sponsored insulators before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented H-1B or green card sponsorship history for insulation and construction trade roles, so you can focus applications on companies already familiar with the LCA and prevailing wage process for hands-on field positions.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-2131.00 alongside Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Attic Blower Prevailing Wage
Attic Blower Prevailing Wage
Attic Blower positions fall under SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Insulation Estimator Prevailing Wage
Insulation Estimator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Insulation Estimator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Insulation Installer Prevailing Wage
Insulation Installer Prevailing Wage
Insulation Installer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Insulation Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Insulation Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Insulation Mechanic positions fall under SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Insulation Worker Prevailing Wage
Insulation Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Insulation Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Insulator Prevailing Wage
Insulator Prevailing Wage
Insulator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Retrofit Installer Prevailing Wage
Retrofit Installer Prevailing Wage
Retrofit Installer positions fall under SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Spray Foam Installer Prevailing Wage
Spray Foam Installer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Spray Foam Installer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Warehouse Insulation Worker Prevailing Wage
Warehouse Insulation Worker Prevailing Wage
Warehouse Insulation Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2131.00 (Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 47-2131, the agency calculates four wage levels based on the local wage distribution for insulation workers in each metro area. Employers must use these figures when filing an LCA with OFLC for any sponsored position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with moderate supervision and is the most common filing level for this occupation; Level 3 is experienced and largely independent; Level 4 is fully competent, covering lead or senior scope. Your level should reflect your actual job duties and supervision structure, not just years of service, and must be documented in the LCA.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same insulation role vary so much by city?
DOL's OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data to calculate metro-specific wage floors. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the controlling wage is the one for that specific metro, not a national average. Markets with strong union presence, high construction demand, or tight labor supply tend to produce substantially higher floors than lower-cost or lower-demand regions.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with USCIS or OFLC if the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite. If the offer is under the floor, the employer must raise the salary before filing. Accepting a below-floor offer does not protect the worker; DOL audits and USCIS RFEs can surface the deficiency and jeopardize the petition.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 47-2131 by metro area and wage level. That database reflects current DOL survey data and is the same source employers use to complete the LCA. You can also check the O*NET occupation profile for supplemental wage context. For sponsored job listings filtered by employer sponsorship history, Migrate Mate lets you search by role and location.
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