Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary in Chicago, IL
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $103,380 a year — 62% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $76,585 take-home, or $6,382 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,914
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,410
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,499
- Illinois income tax$4,973
- Take-home pay$76,585
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.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $53,960 | $25.94 | $43,011 | $3,584 |
| 25th percentile | $74,300 | $35.72 | $57,567 | $4,797 |
| Median (50th) | $103,380 | $49.70 | $76,585 | $6,382 |
| 75th percentile | $122,540 | $58.91 | $89,101 | $7,425 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $127,200 | $61.15 | $92,056 | $7,671 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $103,380 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 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters's $76,585 take-home pay has the buying power of $73,928 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 46 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $103,380 | $76,585 | $73,928 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $101,630 | $74,939 | $71,492 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $107,560 | $77,327 | $70,028 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $95,230 | $75,824 | $68,228 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $101,010 | $71,882 | $68,185 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $84,700 | $65,308 | $67,371 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $96,760 | $72,283 | $66,764 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $86,370 | $66,171 | $65,975 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 46 metros →
About the job: plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.8% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Chicago, IL?
The median plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $103,380 a year, or about $49.70 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $74,300 and $122,540.
What is a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $103,380 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $76,585 a year ($6,382 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,973 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Pay here is 62% above the national median of $63,800. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $73,928 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters 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 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
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- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $103,100
- Electrician — $102,350
- Sheet Metal Worker — $95,310
- Roofer — $82,090
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $81,020
- Carpenter — $80,440
- Highway Maintenance Worker — $76,220
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $61,740
- Construction Laborer — $60,890