Construction Laborer Salary in Chicago, IL
Construction Laborers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $60,890 a year — 29% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,236 take-home, or $4,020 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction laborer salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,127
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,775
- Medicare (1.45%)$883
- Illinois income tax$2,869
- Take-home pay$48,236
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Construction Laborer pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,100 | $18.80 | $31,806 | $2,651 |
| 25th percentile | $46,290 | $22.25 | $37,227 | $3,102 |
| Median (50th) | $60,890 | $29.27 | $48,236 | $4,020 |
| 75th percentile | $100,750 | $48.44 | $74,865 | $6,239 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $105,500 | $50.72 | $77,972 | $6,498 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,890 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction laborer's $48,236 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,562 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Construction Laborer jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.84).
Best-paying cities for construction laborers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #45 of 286 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland, NJ | $83,680 | $64,558 | $67,271 |
| 2 | Trenton, NJ | $71,920 | $57,000 | $55,243 |
| 3 | Kahului, HI | $79,760 | $60,410 | $55,222 |
| 4 | Duluth, MN | $61,340 | $48,819 | $54,996 |
| 5 | Decatur, IL | $61,270 | $48,522 | $54,876 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO | $64,500 | $51,912 | $54,593 |
| 7 | Peoria, IL | $62,960 | $49,797 | $54,583 |
| 8 | Jefferson City, MO | $58,220 | $47,161 | $53,607 |
| 45 | Chicago, IL | $60,890 | $48,236 | $46,562 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 286 metros →
Construction Laborer salaries elsewhere in Illinois
- Decatur, IL — $61,270
- Peoria, IL — $62,960
- Springfield, IL — $61,400
- Champaign, IL — $59,460
- Rockford, IL — $58,390
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction laborer make in Chicago, IL?
The median construction laborer salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $60,890 a year, or about $29.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,290 and $100,750.
What is a construction laborer’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $60,890 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $48,236 a year ($4,020 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,869 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a construction laborer?
Pay here is 29% above the national median of $47,120. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,562 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #45 of 286 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction laborer afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median construction laborer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $146,580
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $111,260
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical — $103,690
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $103,380
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $103,100
- Electrician — $102,350
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $102,350
- Sheet Metal Worker — $95,310
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $89,980
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — $87,060
- Construction and Building Inspector — $82,640
- Roofer — $82,090