Insulation recruiters serving Cleveland.
Insulation workers, mechanical in Cleveland earn a $69,690 median, 19% above the national figure, and about 150 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 37 business locations of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Cleveland.
BLS counts about 1,130 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Cleveland metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 720). Relative to the size of the local economy, insulation workers, mechanical are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.85). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
Cleveland: 150 employed · $69,690 median, 27th-highest of 58 metros
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
Cleveland: 150 employed · $47,340 median, 43rd-highest of 69 metros
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
Cleveland: 3,550 employed · $80,610 median, 45th-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
Cleveland: 1,390 employed · $78,120 median, 54th-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
Cleveland: 2,630 employed · $101,440 median, 97th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
Cleveland: 110 employed · $45,800 median, 64th-highest of 90 metros
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
Cleveland: 720 employed · $74,960 median, 44th-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in Cleveland.
Insulation workers, mechanical in Cleveland earn a median $69,690, 19% over the $58,340 national figure, and 27th of 58 metros. Pay runs $49,040 at the tenth percentile to $84,540 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $74,960 against $74,690 nationally.
| Role | Cleveland median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | $69,690 | $49,040–$84,540 | $58,340 | +19% | 150 |
| Building Envelope Insulation Installer · Spray Foam Technician · Fireproofing / Firestop TechnicianInsulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) | $47,340 | $39,060–$61,630 | $49,120 | −4% | 150 |
| Insulation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $80,610 | $58,220–$106,340 | $79,920 | +1% | 3,550 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $78,120 | $50,350–$128,440 | $78,740 | −1% | 1,390 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $101,440 | $58,560–$162,750 | $114,990 | −12% | 2,630 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | $45,800 | $44,220–$67,660 | $49,450 | −7% | 110 |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $74,960 | $50,440–$100,170 | $74,690 | 0% | 720 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Cleveland metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Cleveland's insulation market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Cleveland rose from 31 in 2018 to 37 in 2023, up 19%, ahead of the 3% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 5%, to about 618 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $61,855 to $64,862 (+5%), slower than the 21% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: business locations | 31 | 37 | +19% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | 650 | 618 | −5% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | $61,855 | $64,862 | +5% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Insulation hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Insulation · 2026 Insulation Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Insulation
Cleveland runs 48% fewer insulation workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Cleveland's insulation market compares
Among the 63 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Cleveland ranks 41st for headcount, 41st for median pay and 54th for concentration for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall. That makes it one of the thinnest insulation labor markets we recruit in.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 380 | $80,000 | 1.19 | 34 |
| Cleveland | 150 | $47,340 | 0.52 | 37 |
| Cincinnati | 90 | $58,360 | 0.27 | 32 |
| Dayton | – | – | – | 13 |
| Akron | – | – | – | 9 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For insulation employers in Cleveland, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Cleveland metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in Ohio.
Ohio's state board licenses commercial contractors in only five trades: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration. Masonry, concrete and insulation are not among the state-licensed trades. The same state rules apply in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Cleveland without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Cleveland talent.
The closest metro we cover is Akron, about 30 miles away, with roughly 30 insulation workers, mechanical (0.2 times Cleveland's 150). Pittsburgh pays the most nearby, an $80,050 median, 15% above Cleveland. That is the number any Cleveland offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Columbus has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | – | 150 | $69,690 |
| Akron | 30 mi | 30 | $63,660 |
| Detroit | 90 mi | – | – |
| Pittsburgh | 115 mi | 60 | $80,050 |
| Columbus | 126 mi | 230 | $76,590 |
| Buffalo | 173 mi | 110 | $58,310 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Cleveland crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Cleveland in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute$1.1BOpening January 18, 2027
1M sq ft, 210 inpatient rooms, 36 neuro ICU beds, 16 operating rooms. One of the largest single healthcare capital projects in Ohio, requiring hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction at scale.
- Cleveland Clinic Avon campus expansion$322MBroke ground July 2026, completing 2029
Multi-phase expansion of Avon Hospital and the Richard E. Jacobs Health Center, adding ~250,000 sq ft of clinical space in Lorain County. Sustained, multi-year mechanical and plumbing demand outside the core city.
- Cleveland Clinic Unified Operations Center$142M26-month build, completing late 2028
650,000 sq ft facility in Walton Hills for 526 relocated/new jobs. Large-footprint commercial construction and MEP fit-out, distinct from the hospital-grade work driving the other Clinic projects.
These are the 3 projects we track in Cleveland. The Cleveland market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in Cleveland.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 3 things that most often end an insulation offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Insulation credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Insulation hiring in Cleveland.
What do insulation workers, mechanical earn in Cleveland?
BLS puts the Cleveland median for insulation workers, mechanical at $69,690 a year, 19% above the $58,340 national median. That ranks 27th of 58 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $49,040 and $84,540, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Ohio, Columbus pays more, at $76,590.
Is it hard to hire insulation workers, mechanical in Cleveland?
Yes. Cleveland has 15% fewer insulation workers, mechanical per job than the country as a whole, roughly 150 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 37 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors here average about 17 employees per location. With 19% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which insulation roles pay the most in Cleveland?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in Cleveland, a $101,440 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Insulation Inspector / QC Technician at $74,960, 26% below it. Abatement-Certified Insulator is the lowest-paid field role at $45,800. Relative to national pay, Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler) is the strongest-paying role here (19% above). Insulation Project Manager trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in Cleveland?
BLS counted 37 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Cleveland in 2023, employing about 618 people between them. Up from 31 in 2018, a 19% increase against 3% decline nationally. That averages 17 people per location. They pay an average of $64,862, 16% below the $77,107 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Cleveland for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Akron (30 miles, about 30, $63,660 median), Pittsburgh (115 miles, about 60, $80,050 median) and Columbus (126 miles, about 230, $76,590 median). Columbus has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Pittsburgh pays 15% more, which is where Cleveland employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With insulation workers, mechanical this scarce in Cleveland, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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