Insulation recruiters serving Syracuse.
Syracuse has 100% more insulation workers, mechanical per job than the country as a whole, about 100 in the metro. 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 Syracuse.
BLS counts about 720 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Syracuse metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 350). Relative to the size of the local economy, insulation workers, mechanical are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 2.00). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
Syracuse: 100 employed · $82,950 median, 13th-highest of 58 metros
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
Syracuse: 80 employed · $56,680 median, 18th-highest of 69 metros
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
Syracuse: 1,060 employed · $81,230 median, 41st-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
Syracuse: 420 employed · $77,970 median, 59th-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
Syracuse: 320 employed · $132,760 median, 10th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
Syracuse: 190 employed · $54,870 median, 17th-highest of 90 metros
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
Syracuse: 350 employed · $75,610 median, 41st-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in Syracuse.
Insulation workers, mechanical in Syracuse earn a median $82,950, 42% over the $58,340 national figure, and 13th of 58 metros. Pay runs $37,630 at the tenth percentile to $96,670 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $75,610 against $74,690 nationally.
| Role | Syracuse median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | $82,950 | $37,630–$96,670 | $58,340 | +42% | 100 |
| Building Envelope Insulation Installer · Spray Foam Technician · Fireproofing / Firestop TechnicianInsulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) | $56,680 | $44,860–$73,130 | $49,120 | +15% | 80 |
| Insulation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $81,230 | $61,410–$126,730 | $79,920 | +2% | 1,060 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $77,970 | $52,370–$122,410 | $78,740 | −1% | 420 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $132,760 | $82,010–$202,360 | $114,990 | +15% | 320 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | $54,870 | $46,430–$74,930 | $49,450 | +11% | 190 |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $75,610 | $46,020–$105,180 | $74,690 | +1% | 350 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Syracuse 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 Syracuse's insulation market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Syracuse rose from 15 in 2018 to 17 in 2023, up 13%, ahead of the 3% national decline. Headcount at those firms went up 23%, to about 448 people. Average annual pay there went from $59,728 to $76,169 (+28%), 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 | 15 | 17 | +13% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | 364 | 448 | +23% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | $59,728 | $76,169 | +28% |
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
Syracuse sits at about the national rate for insulation — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
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 Syracuse's insulation market compares
Among the 63 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Syracuse ranks 55th for headcount, 18th for median pay and 30th for concentration for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,500 | $61,730 | 0.55 | 249 |
| Buffalo | 140 | $48,310 | 0.92 | 47 |
| Rochester | 100 | $55,960 | 0.73 | 17 |
| Albany | 90 | $57,190 | 0.71 | 16 |
| Syracuse | 80 | $56,680 | 0.97 | 17 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For insulation employers in Syracuse, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Syracuse metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in New York.
New York State does not license general or insulation contractors; the Department of State Division of Licensing Services regulates real estate, security guards and appearance trades but no construction contracting. In New York City the Department of Buildings issues a General Contractor Registration together with about two dozen other trade licenses, though there is no insulation license among them. The decisive credential for insulation is the state Department of Labor asbestos program, which requires a contractor license for any firm performing asbestos projects and a certificate for every individual working on one, under Industrial Code Rule 56. Verify the firm appears on the state list of active licensed asbestos contractors and that each worker and supervisor holds a current asbestos handling certificate. The same state rules apply in New York, Buffalo, Rochester and Albany, so candidates licensed there can work in Syracuse without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state contractor license; licensing is municipal, for example the New York City Department of Buildings. New York State Department of Labor Asbestos Control Bureau licenses asbestos contractors and certifies workers under 12 NYCRR 56. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Syracuse talent.
The closest metro we cover is Rochester, about 75 miles away, with roughly 70 insulation workers, mechanical (0.7 times Syracuse's 100). Syracuse pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($82,950 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Rochester at $57,160.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | – | 100 | $82,950 |
| Rochester | 74 mi | 70 | $57,160 |
| Scranton | 116 mi | 40 | $79,470 |
| Albany | 124 mi | 80 | $59,740 |
| Buffalo | 139 mi | 110 | $58,310 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 172 mi | – | – |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Syracuse crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Syracuse in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Micron semiconductor fabrication complex$100B (plus $6.1B in federal funding)Broke ground early 2026, now in full vertical construction
The largest private investment in New York State's history - four fabs planned across a 1,300-acre site in Clay, NY, up to 9,000 direct jobs and up to 40,000 additional supply-chain/construction jobs.
- Upstate University Hospital annex$450MDesign phase; construction spanning several years
A new emergency department, burn unit, ICU, and surgery suite, potentially requiring demolition of up to four existing campus buildings.
These are the 2 projects we track in Syracuse. The Syracuse market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in Syracuse.
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 Syracuse.
What do insulation workers, mechanical earn in Syracuse?
BLS puts the Syracuse median for insulation workers, mechanical at $82,950 a year, 42% above the $58,340 national median. That ranks 13th of 58 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. The range is unusually wide: $37,630 at the bottom tenth against $96,670 at the top tenth, a 2.6x gap. Senior people here are priced far above the median. No other New York metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire insulation workers, mechanical in Syracuse?
Not by national standards. Insulation workers, mechanical make up 100% more of the Syracuse workforce than they do nationally, about 100 people. The 17 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors here average about 26 employees per location. With 13% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which insulation roles pay the most in Syracuse?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in Syracuse, a $132,760 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler) at $82,950, 38% below it. Abatement-Certified Insulator is the lowest-paid field role at $54,870. Relative to national pay, Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler) is the strongest-paying role here (42% above).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in Syracuse?
BLS counted 17 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Syracuse in 2023, employing about 448 people between them. Up from 15 in 2018, a 13% increase against 3% decline nationally. That averages 26 people per location. They pay about the national average of $77,107.
Which nearby metros compete with Syracuse for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Rochester (74 miles, about 70, $57,160 median), Scranton (116 miles, about 40, $79,470 median) and Albany (124 miles, about 80, $59,740 median). Syracuse out-pays Rochester and Albany, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Syracuse has one of the deeper pools of insulation workers, mechanical we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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