Electrician Salary in Chicago, IL
Electricians in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $102,350 a year — 62% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $75,912 take-home, or $6,326 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median electrician salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,687
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,346
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,484
- Illinois income tax$4,922
- Take-home pay$75,912
Marginal rate: 22% 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.
Electrician pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,890 | $23.99 | $39,942 | $3,328 |
| 25th percentile | $74,400 | $35.77 | $57,632 | $4,803 |
| Median (50th) | $102,350 | $49.21 | $75,912 | $6,326 |
| 75th percentile | $118,660 | $57.05 | $86,578 | $7,215 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $124,070 | $59.65 | $90,071 | $7,506 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $102,350 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 electrician's $75,912 take-home pay has the buying power of $73,277 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Electrician jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.81).
Best-paying cities for electricians, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #6 of 221 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon, WA | $104,510 | $82,353 | $80,389 |
| 2 | Kennewick, WA | $99,850 | $79,074 | $79,012 |
| 3 | Kokomo, IN | $91,290 | $70,389 | $78,517 |
| 4 | Bellingham, WA | $97,590 | $77,485 | $74,985 |
| 5 | Olympia, WA | $96,600 | $76,788 | $74,070 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $102,350 | $75,912 | $73,277 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $101,780 | $80,432 | $72,375 |
| 8 | Trenton, NJ | $98,210 | $73,855 | $71,579 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 221 metros →
Electrician salaries elsewhere in Illinois
- Peoria, IL — $80,460
Frequently asked questions
How much does a electrician make in Chicago, IL?
The median electrician salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $102,350 a year, or about $49.21 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $74,400 and $118,660.
What is a electrician’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $102,350 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $75,912 a year ($6,326 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,922 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a electrician?
Pay here is 62% above the national median of $63,190. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $73,277 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #6 of 221 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a electrician 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) — 24% of a median electrician’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
- 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
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $81,020