Insulation Workers, Mechanical Salary in Chicago, IL
Insulation Workers, Mechanical in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $103,690 a year — 78% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $76,788 take-home, or $6,399 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median insulation workers, mechanical salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,982
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,429
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,504
- Illinois income tax$4,988
- Take-home pay$76,788
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.
Insulation Workers, Mechanical pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,350 | $27.57 | $45,567 | $3,797 |
| 25th percentile | $78,080 | $37.54 | $60,039 | $5,003 |
| Median (50th) | $103,690 | $49.85 | $76,788 | $6,399 |
| 75th percentile | $115,280 | $55.42 | $84,368 | $7,031 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $115,290 | $55.43 | $84,374 | $7,031 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $103,690 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 insulation workers, mechanical's $76,788 take-home pay has the buying power of $74,123 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.3× the national concentration of insulation workers, mechanical jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for insulation workers, mechanical, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #2 of 8 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $124,090 | $87,158 | $76,746 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $103,690 | $76,788 | $74,123 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO | $79,240 | $61,788 | $64,980 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $74,840 | $59,302 | $61,969 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $70,690 | $55,340 | $49,164 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $61,660 | $49,831 | $48,590 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $50,050 | $42,395 | $42,984 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $52,200 | $44,123 | $42,800 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 8 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a insulation workers, mechanical make in Chicago, IL?
The median insulation workers, mechanical salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $103,690 a year, or about $49.85 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $78,080 and $115,280.
What is a insulation workers, mechanical’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $103,690 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $76,788 a year ($6,399 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,988 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a insulation workers, mechanical?
Pay here is 78% above the national median of $58,340. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $74,123 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #2 of 8 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a insulation workers, mechanical 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 insulation workers, mechanical’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
- 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
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $81,020