Insulation recruiters serving Modesto.
BLS counts 8 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 Modesto.
BLS counts about 120 construction and building inspectors in the Modesto metro. Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
Modesto: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
Modesto: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
Modesto: 780 employed · $91,140 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
Modesto: 290 employed · $81,330 median, 27th-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
Modesto: 380 employed · $125,800 median, 25th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
Modesto: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
Modesto: 120 employed · $80,660 median, 22nd-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in Modesto.
BLS publishes no Modesto pay for insulation workers, mechanical; nationally the median is $58,340. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in Modesto earn a median $91,140, 14% over the $79,920 national figure, and 23rd of 112 metros. Pay runs $60,000 at the tenth percentile to $137,610 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $80,660 against $74,690 nationally. BLS withholds Modesto pay for 3 occupations in the table.
| Role | Modesto 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) | $91,140 | $60,000–$137,610 | $79,920 | +14% | 780 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,330 | $51,380–$139,990 | $78,740 | +3% | 290 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $125,800 | $82,760–$197,620 | $114,990 | +9% | 380 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | – | – | $49,450 | – | – |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $80,660 | $46,610–$128,010 | $74,690 | +8% | 120 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Modesto 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 Modesto's insulation market has changed since 2018.
Modesto lost nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 9 business locations to 8 (down 11%), behind the 3% national decline. With so few firms, one opening or closing moves that percentage a long way. Headcount at those firms went up 31%, to about 89 people, so fewer firms are employing more people each. Average annual pay there went from $43,393 to $55,842 (+29%), 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 | 9 | 8 | −11% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | 68 | 89 | +31% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | $43,393 | $55,842 | +29% |
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 Modesto's insulation market compares
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 830 | $48,470 | 0.46 | 165 |
| Riverside | 480 | $46,850 | 0.98 | 80 |
| San Francisco | 370 | $76,170 | 0.55 | 59 |
| San Jose | 190 | $58,890 | 0.57 | 33 |
| Sacramento | 170 | $48,310 | 0.56 | 37 |
| San Diego | – | – | – | 72 |
| Fresno | – | – | – | 21 |
| Bakersfield | – | – | – | 11 |
| Stockton | – | – | – | 10 |
| Modesto | – | – | – | 8 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:Local insulation employers in Modesto are adding headcount, which means more employers competing for the same people.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Modesto metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in California.
California licenses specialty contractors by classification, including C-2 Insulation and Acoustical, C-8 Concrete and C-29 Masonry. The same state rules apply in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield and Stockton, so candidates licensed there can work in Modesto without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Modesto talent.
The closest metro we cover is Stockton, about 25 miles away. BLS does not publish Modesto figures for this occupation, so the nearby markets are the best guide: San Francisco has the largest pool within reach, about 210, at a $136,460 median.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | – | – | – |
| Stockton | 27 mi | – | – |
| San Jose | 53 mi | – | – |
| Sacramento | 71 mi | 90 | $93,960 |
| San Francisco | 78 mi | 210 | $136,460 |
| Fresno | 91 mi | – | – |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Modesto crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Modesto in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Sutter Health Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex$380MGroundbreak January 2026, completion by 2029
A four-story, 165,000 sq ft facility on the Memorial Medical Center campus - cancer treatment on floors 1-2, a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center on floor 3, and 50+ outpatient exam rooms on floor 4.
- North County Corridor Phase 1UndisclosedUnder construction
A new four-lane, access-controlled expressway with a new interchange at Roselle Avenue and grade-separated structures over the BNSF rail line.
- Seventh Street Village apartments$56M ($33M in state funding)Completing late 2027
A five-story, 79-unit downtown Modesto apartment building for low-income residents.
These are the 3 projects we track in Modesto. The Modesto market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in Modesto.
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 Modesto.
Which insulation roles pay the most in Modesto?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in Modesto, a $125,800 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Insulation Inspector / QC Technician at $80,660, 36% below it. Relative to national pay, Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead is the strongest-paying role here (14% above).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in Modesto?
BLS counted 8 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Modesto in 2023, employing about 89 people between them. Down from 9 in 2018, an 11% decline against 3% decline nationally. That averages 11 people per location. They pay an average of $55,842, 28% below the $77,107 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Modesto for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Sacramento (71 miles, about 90, $93,960 median), San Francisco (78 miles, about 210, $136,460 median) and Reno (145 miles, about 40, $89,600 median).
Every hire from zero is a tax on your team.
8 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Modesto are hiring from the same local pool. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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