Insulation recruiters serving El Paso.
BLS counts 17 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 El Paso.
BLS counts about 310 construction and building inspectors in the El Paso metro. Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
El Paso: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
El Paso: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
El Paso: 1,380 employed · $62,870 median, 108th-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
El Paso: 410 employed · $60,880 median, 111th-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
El Paso: 1,000 employed · $84,030 median, 110th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
El Paso: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
El Paso: 310 employed · $49,030 median, 110th-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in El Paso.
BLS publishes no El Paso pay for insulation workers, mechanical; nationally the median is $58,340. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in El Paso earn a median $62,870, 21% under the $79,920 national figure, and 108th of 112 metros. Pay runs $46,010 at the tenth percentile to $89,980 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $49,030 against $74,690 nationally. BLS withholds El Paso pay for 3 occupations in the table.
| Role | El Paso median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | – | – | $58,340 | – | – |
| Building Envelope Insulation Installer · Spray Foam Technician · Fireproofing / Firestop TechnicianInsulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) | – | – | $49,120 | – | – |
| Insulation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $62,870 | $46,010–$89,980 | $79,920 | −21% | 1,380 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $60,880 | $35,340–$99,930 | $78,740 | −23% | 410 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $84,030 | $57,270–$137,990 | $114,990 | −27% | 1,000 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | – | – | $49,450 | – | – |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $49,030 | $38,710–$99,220 | $74,690 | −34% | 310 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, El Paso 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 El Paso's insulation market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in El Paso rose from 13 in 2018 to 17 in 2023, up 31%, ahead of the 3% national decline. Headcount at those firms went down 15%, to about 642 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $29,169 to $40,496 (+39%), faster than the 21% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: business locations | 13 | 17 | +31% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | 757 | 642 | −15% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | $29,169 | $40,496 | +39% |
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
How El Paso's insulation market compares
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 2,430 | $48,140 | 2.58 | 132 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 2,100 | $49,930 | 1.82 | 147 |
| San Antonio | 370 | $47,070 | 1.14 | 32 |
| Austin | – | – | – | 65 |
| McAllen | – | – | – | 9 |
| El Paso | – | – | – | 17 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:Local insulation employers in El Paso have been cutting headcount, so the people you want are more likely to be weighing a move than actively looking.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, El Paso metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in Texas.
Texas issues no state general contractor or insulation contractor license. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses only a narrow set of construction trades, chiefly air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, electricians and water well drillers, and insulation is not among them. Where the work touches asbestos, DSHS licensing is mandatory and is the real personnel credential to check: DSHS issues individual Asbestos Abatement Worker and Supervisor licenses plus a company-level Asbestos Abatement Contractor license. When hiring, confirm the firm holds a current DSHS asbestos contractor license and that named crew leads hold current supervisor licenses. The same state rules apply in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and McAllen, so candidates licensed there can work in El Paso without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; Texas Department of State Health Services Asbestos Program licenses asbestos work under 25 TAC Chapter 296. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for El Paso talent.
The closest metro we cover is Albuquerque, about 230 miles away.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | – | – | – |
| Albuquerque | 230 mi | – | $56,990 |
| Tucson | 262 mi | – | – |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for El Paso crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into El Paso in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Meta data center (Northeast El Paso)$14B (up from initial $1.5B; Meta has since sold an 80% stake to BlackRock)Power infrastructure online by 2027
813 modular gas generators delivering 366MW ($473M alone), plus the broader hyperscale data center campus. About 4,000 construction workers expected on-site at peak - the single largest capital project in this metro's history.
- El Paso VA Health Care Center (Fort Bliss)$620M+Broke ground 2024, completion now August 2029
A 492,000 sq ft medical center serving 54,000 veterans with outpatient, mental health, primary care, ambulatory care, and ancillary services.
- Fox Cancer Center (Texas Tech Health El Paso)$340MUnder construction near I-10 East/Reynolds
A dedicated cancer treatment facility - healthcare-grade MEP and specialty medical construction.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The El Paso market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in El Paso.
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 El Paso.
Which insulation roles pay the most in El Paso?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in El Paso, an $84,030 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Insulation Inspector / QC Technician at $49,030, 42% below it. Insulation Inspector / QC Technician trails national pay the most (34% below).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in El Paso?
BLS counted 17 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in El Paso in 2023, employing about 642 people between them. Up from 13 in 2018, a 31% increase against 3% decline nationally. That averages 38 people per location, so a few large operators dominate hiring. They pay an average of $40,496, 47% below the $77,107 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with El Paso for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Albuquerque (230 miles, $56,990 median).
Every hire from zero is a tax on your team.
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