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Insulator

Types of Degrees Insulator Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Insulator can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	8
Associate’s Degree	17
Master’s Degree	7

What Insulator Majors Need to Know

Studies in Insulator build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Insulator graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Insulator emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Building and Construction — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Insulator program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Coordination — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Insulator careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Insulator graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Handling and Moving Objects	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Insulator professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
North American Insulation Manufacturers Association NAIMA 3E Plus	Analytical or scientific software	—
Comput-Ability Mechanical Insulation Key Estimator	Data base user interface and query software	—
CMSN FieldPAK	Data base user interface and query software	—
Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal	Project management software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Insulator graduates include:

• Insulation Mechanic
• Insulator
• Insulation Power Unit Tender
• Insulation Installer
• Firestopper Installer
• Insulation Machine Operator
• Insulation Worker
• Insulation Technician (Insulation Tech)
• Industrial Insulator
• Duct Insulator
• Mechanic Insulator
• Mechanical Insulator
• Pipe Insulator
• Marine Insulator
• Boiler Coverer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Insulator graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	54.2%
Less than a high school diploma	19.1%
Postsecondary certificate	14.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.8%
Some college courses	3.9%
Bachelor’s degree	3.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Insulator?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 84.4% of Insulator degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	5	15.6%
Men	27	84.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Insulator graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	20	62.5%
Hispanic or Latino	1	3.1%
Black or African American	3	9.4%
Race Unknown	8	25.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Insulator Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Insulator graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,822
4 years	$32,489
5 years	$37,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $37,102 — roughly 10% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Insulator Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Insulator graduates earn a median of $32,489 four years after completion — about 15% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection	46.04
Building Construction Technology/Technician	46.0415
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other	46.0499
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	46.0412
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	46.0403
Building/Property Maintenance	46.0401
Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker	46.0413
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	46.0402
Drywall Installation/Drywaller	46.0404
Glazier	46.0406
Metal Building Assembly/Assembler	46.0411
Painting/Painter and Wall Coverer	46.0408

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.