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Mobile home installer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$45,990median pay per year, or $22.11 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $27,120lowest 10% earn less
  2. $35,80025th percentile
  3. $45,990median
  4. $51,97075th percentile
  5. $60,810top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median mobile home installer earned $45,990 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.8%[2]
Openings per year
300[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do mobile home installers make?

BLS calls this job Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers. The median wage was $45,990 a year, or $22.11 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was a little lower, at $45,410 a year, or $21.83 an hour[7].

Here is how pay spread out across the job[3][8]:

Point in the range Annual Hourly
10th percentile[3][8] $27,120 $13.04
25th percentile[3][8] $35,800 $17.21
Median[1] $45,990 $22.11
75th percentile[3][8] $51,970 $24.99
90th percentile[3][8] $60,810 $29.24

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $27,120, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $60,810[3][9]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. So the median for this job sat below that figure.

These numbers cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the 21 states with published data, California had the highest median at $59,450 a year, followed by Washington at $56,690 and Missouri at $55,390[11]. West Virginia was last at $26,690[11]. Some of these figures rest on small job counts. Missouri's, for example, is based on 40 jobs[11].

Texas had the most jobs, at 700[12]. Pennsylvania followed with 170, then Georgia and North Carolina with 160 each[12]. Among metro areas, Waco, TX had 50 jobs and a median of $43,220[13].

Show median pay in 21 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[11]$59,450n/a
Washington$56,690n/a
Missouri$55,39040
North Carolina$51,460160
Virginia$50,50030
Georgia$50,060160
North Dakota$49,82040
New Mexico$47,96050
New York$47,28060
South Dakota$46,89050
Ohio$46,73050
Indiana$46,050n/a
Tennessee$45,99090
South Carolina$44,12040
Montana$43,31050
Pennsylvania$39,920170
Florida$39,14080
Texas$34,910700
Kentucky$34,770n/a
Alabama$34,67040
West Virginia$26,69090

How to become a mobile home installer

The path in the BLS data is short:

In an ONET survey of 15 workers, 59% said less than a high school diploma is required and 40% said a diploma or equivalent is required[14]. With so few respondents, treat that as a rough hint only. ONET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation[15].

Workers report job titles such as mobile home set-up person, set up technician and house hauler[16].

What mobile home installers do

O*NET describes the job as moving or installing mobile homes or prefabricated buildings[17]. Typical tasks include[18]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 to 3,700 jobs[2]. That compares with 3.5% growth for all occupations[19]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. In 2025, 14.9% of installers were self-employed[20].

BLS expects about 300 openings a year[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.7% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[21].

BLS lists demand for manufactured homes as one factor affecting employment in this job[22].

The OEWS count of about 3,020 wage and salary jobs[23] and the projection count of about 3,500[2] measure different things, so they do not match.

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is short. It needs a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6]. Pay is near but below the all-occupations median[1][4]. Projected growth is a little above the all-occupations rate, but the job is small, with about 300 openings a year[2][19][5]. Pay also varies a lot by state[11]. Check local pay and job counts before you plan around this job.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a mobile home installer make an hour?
The median was $22.11 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $13.04 and the 90th was $29.24[8].
What education do you need to be a mobile home installer?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is mobile home installer a growing job?
BLS projects 5.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][19]. About 300 openings are expected each year[5].
What state pays mobile home installers the most?
California had the highest median, at $59,450 a year[11]. Texas had the most jobs, at 700[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers in the US was $45,990 per year and $22.11 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers is projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 to 3,700 jobs (a change of +200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers: 10th percentile $27,120, 25th percentile $35,800, 75th percentile $51,970, 90th percentile $60,810. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers was $45,410 per year and $21.83 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers: 10th percentile $13.04, 25th percentile $17.21, 75th percentile $24.99, 90th percentile $29.24. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers jobs: Texas 700; Pennsylvania 170; Georgia 160; North Carolina 160; Tennessee 90. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers jobs: Waco, TX 50 (median $43,220). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. O*NET 49-9095.00 survey of workers (15 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 59%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 40% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  15. O*NET 49-9095.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 49-9095.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Delivery Crew Worker, House Hauler, Mobile Home Installer, Mobile Home Laborer, Mobile Home Set-Up Person, Set Up Technician (Set Up Tech). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers. O*NET OnLine
  19. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 14.9% of Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers: 3.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers: Demand change - share increases as demand for manufactured homes increases. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,020 people were employed as Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.