Insulation Workers (Mechanical) build coordination, time management and judgment and decision making skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (80%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | 80% | $51,330 | −12% | None |
| 2 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 76% | $53,750 | −8% | None |
| 3 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | 75% | $63,870 | +9% | None |
| 4 | Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | 75% | $61,390 | +5% | None |
| 5 | Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | 73% | $49,450 | −15% | None |
| 6 | Tire Builders | 73% | $57,390 | −2% | None |
| 7 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | 73% | $46,880 | −20% | None |
| 8 | Riggers | 72% | $62,640 | +7% | None |
| 9 | Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 70% | $68,840 | +18% | None |
| 10 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | 70% | $48,220 | −17% | None |
Compared with Insulation Workers, Mechanical, median $58,340. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as insulation workers (mechanical) (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
80% skill match · $51,330 · −12% pay
Equipment Maintenance · Repairing · Equipment Selection
76% skill match · $53,750 · −8% pay
Equipment Selection · Repairing · Troubleshooting
75% skill match · $63,870 · +9% pay
Equipment Selection · Equipment Maintenance · Repairing
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (80% skill match, median $51,330), Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (76% skill match, median $53,750) and Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic (75% skill match, median $63,870), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 7 pay more than insulation workers (mechanical) at the median. The biggest increases: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (+63%, $95,320), Locomotive Engineers (+40%, $81,410) and Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (+18%, $68,840).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.