Plumber.
Chicago.
$68,000
median salary, 8% above the national average
$53,000 to $89,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Plumber pay in Chicago ranges from $53,000 to $89,000 in 2026. The median is $68,000, 8% above the national average. Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a rapidly expanding tech sector. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Plumber in Chicago, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $103,380 for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, based on 12,750 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$53,960
25th percentile
$74,300
Median
$103,380
75th percentile
$122,540
90th percentile
$127,200
Workers surveyed
12,750
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $68,000 is 34% lower than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters covers a different population than the Plumber title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) rather than Plumber specifically. The Chicago range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 47-2152Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $61,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$44,000
to $54,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$58,000
to $71,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$75,000
to $88,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$85,000
to $105,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $17,000 to the total package.
Base
$68,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $85,000
How Chicago compares.
Chicago, IL
$68,000
Cost of living: 7% above average
National Average
$63,000
Chicago is $5,000 above
Plumber salary by city.
Salary by role in Chicago.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Plumber roles in Chicago, here is what you are walking into. Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a rapidly expanding tech sector. The city has become a major hub for fintech, enterprise SaaS, and e-commerce. With lower living costs than coastal cities and a deep talent pool from top universities, Chicago offers strong salary to cost of living ratios for professionals across industries. Licensed master plumbers earn 25 to 35% more than journeymen, with commercial and industrial specialization pushing pay to the top of the range. Plumbers who handle gas line work, backflow prevention, or medical gas systems command premium rates. Union membership in major metro areas provides the strongest wage floors.
Apprentice plumbers start at $32,000 to $40,000 during their four to five year apprenticeship. Journeymen earn $46,000 to $65,000, while master plumbers reach $65,000 to $85,000. Plumbing contractors who run their own businesses can earn $90,000 to $150,000 or more. In Chicago, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Union plumbers receive health insurance, pension contributions, and annuity funds worth $15,000 to $25,000 annually on top of wages. Overtime during emergency calls can add $8,000 to $15,000 per year, especially for on-call residential specialists. And on the tax side: illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax. Chicago does not levy a separate city income tax, making the overall burden moderate compared to coastal metros. When someone quotes you $68,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Bay Area or NYC salary band for your role, then negotiate a modest discount. Chicago employers routinely offer 85 to 90% of coastal pay. The range for Plumbers in Chicago runs from $53,000 to $89,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Plumber salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Chicago.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Plumber Salary in Chicago, IL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/plumber/chicago
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