Insulation recruiters serving Tulsa.
Tulsa has 77% more insulation workers, mechanical per job than the country as a whole, about 130 in the metro. BLS counts 32 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 Tulsa.
BLS counts about 1,260 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Tulsa metro, the largest group being construction and building inspectors (about 650). Relative to the size of the local economy, insulation workers, mechanical are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.77). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Insulation hub.
Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)
Tulsa: 130 employed · $75,030 median, 22nd-highest of 58 metros
Building Envelope Insulation Installer
Tulsa: 270 employed · $47,420 median, 41st-highest of 69 metros
Spray Foam Technician
Fireproofing / Firestop Technician
Insulation Foreman / Crew Lead
Tulsa: 2,950 employed · $75,000 median, 88th-highest of 112 metros
Insulation Estimator
Tulsa: 670 employed · $72,880 median, 93rd-highest of 111 metros
Insulation Project Manager
Tulsa: 700 employed · $105,960 median, 70th-highest of 111 metros
Abatement-Certified Insulator
Tulsa: 210 employed · $44,800 median, 74th-highest of 90 metros
Blower / Loose-Fill Insulation Technician
Insulation Inspector / QC Technician
Tulsa: 650 employed · $61,890 median, 93rd-highest of 112 metros
What Insulation roles earn in Tulsa.
Insulation workers, mechanical in Tulsa earn a median $75,030, 29% over the $58,340 national figure, and 22nd of 58 metros. Pay runs $37,750 at the tenth percentile to $75,040 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is construction and building inspectors, at $61,890 against $74,690 nationally.
| Role | Tulsa median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler)Insulation Workers, Mechanical (47-2132) | $75,030 | $37,750–$75,040 | $58,340 | +29% | 130 |
| Building Envelope Insulation Installer · Spray Foam Technician · Fireproofing / Firestop TechnicianInsulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (47-2131) | $47,420 | $36,150–$73,100 | $49,120 | −3% | 270 |
| Insulation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $75,000 | $48,640–$121,720 | $79,920 | −6% | 2,950 |
| Insulation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $72,880 | $44,440–$105,230 | $78,740 | −7% | 670 |
| Insulation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $105,960 | $71,360–$167,480 | $114,990 | −8% | 700 |
| Abatement-Certified InsulatorHazardous Materials Removal Workers (47-4041) | $44,800 | $39,420–$50,720 | $49,450 | −9% | 210 |
| Insulation Inspector / QC TechnicianConstruction and Building Inspectors (47-4011) | $61,890 | $45,780–$95,410 | $74,690 | −17% | 650 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tulsa 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 Tulsa's insulation market has changed since 2018.
Tulsa had 32 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in 2023, exactly as many as in 2018. Headcount at those firms went down 39%, to about 458 people. Average annual pay there went from $43,950 to $51,308 (+17%), slower than the 21% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: business locations | 32 | 32 | +0% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: employment | 745 | 458 | −39% |
| Nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors: average annual pay | $43,950 | $51,308 | +17% |
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
Tulsa runs 108% more insulation workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 Tulsa's insulation market compares
Among the 63 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Tulsa ranks 28th for headcount, 39th for median pay and 6th for concentration for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall. That puts it among the deepest insulation labor markets in the country.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | 270 | $47,420 | 2.08 | 32 |
| Oklahoma City | – | – | – | 30 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For insulation employers in Tulsa, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Tulsa metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Insulation licensing in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma does not currently require a state license for general contracting. The state licenses specific trades such as electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing. The same state rules apply in Oklahoma City, so candidates licensed there can work in Tulsa without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Construction Industries Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Tulsa talent.
The closest metro we cover is Oklahoma City, about 100 miles away, with roughly 60 insulation workers, mechanical (0.5 times Tulsa's 130). Tulsa pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($75,030 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Dallas-Fort Worth at $52,200. Dallas-Fort Worth has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | – | 130 | $75,030 |
| Oklahoma City | 98 mi | 60 | $74,490 |
| Wichita | 130 mi | – | – |
| Kansas City | 218 mi | 240 | $69,730 |
| Little Rock | 230 mi | – | – |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 237 mi | 830 | $52,200 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Tulsa crews.
Not insulation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Tulsa in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Park Aerospace advanced composites facility$65MOperations beginning 2028
A new advanced composite materials manufacturing facility on 18 acres at Tulsa International Airport, expected to create more than 100 jobs. Specialized industrial construction distinct from conventional commercial building.
- Quantum Space manufacturing facility$80MOperations expected Q1 2027
A 25,000-40,000 sq ft facility in the Spartan Building for large propulsion tank manufacturing and precision spacecraft parts production, expected to create 50 jobs. Adds to Tulsa International Airport's growing aerospace-campus identity alongside Agile Space Industries and Lufthansa Technik Component Services.
These are the 2 projects we track in Tulsa. The Tulsa market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for insulation, and what kills offers in Tulsa.
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 Tulsa.
What do insulation workers, mechanical earn in Tulsa?
BLS puts the Tulsa median for insulation workers, mechanical at $75,030 a year, 29% above the $58,340 national median. That ranks 22nd of 58 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $37,750 and $75,040, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Oklahoma metro we cover pays more for this work (Oklahoma City: $74,490).
Is it hard to hire insulation workers, mechanical in Tulsa?
Not by national standards. Insulation workers, mechanical make up 77% more of the Tulsa workforce than they do nationally, about 130 people. The 32 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors here average about 14 employees per location.
Which insulation roles pay the most in Tulsa?
Of the roles we recruit for, Insulation Project Manager pays the most in Tulsa, a $105,960 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler) at $75,030, 29% below it. Abatement-Certified Insulator is the lowest-paid field role at $44,800. Relative to national pay, Mechanical Insulator (Pipe/Duct/Boiler) is the strongest-paying role here (29% above). Insulation Inspector / QC Technician trails national pay the most (17% below).
How many nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors operate in Tulsa?
BLS counted 32 nonresidential drywall and insulation contractors in Tulsa in 2023, employing about 458 people between them. That is roughly where the count stood in 2018 (32). That averages 14 people per location. They pay an average of $51,308, 33% below the $77,107 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Tulsa for insulation workers, mechanical?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Oklahoma City (98 miles, about 60, $74,490 median), Kansas City (218 miles, about 240, $69,730 median) and Dallas-Fort Worth (237 miles, about 830, $52,200 median). Kansas City has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Tulsa out-pays Kansas City and Dallas-Fort Worth, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Tulsa 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.
Schedule a Discovery Call →