Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Illinois

Median $37.98 an hour for 19,570 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$37.98/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$79,000/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.18 – $56.5710th to 90th percentilehourly range
19,570Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Carpenter pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrIllinois: 10th $19.18 · 25th $27.00 · median $37.98 · 75th $51.42 · 90th $56.57Illinois$37.98$19.18$56.57United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $37.98). 19,570 carpenters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.18 – $27.00$39,890 – $56,160roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$27.00 – $51.42$56,160 – $106,950the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$51.42 – $56.57$106,950 – $117,660the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrKankakee: $45.81Kankakee$45.81Decatur: $41.93Decatur$41.93Chicago: $38.68Chicago$38.68Springfield: $37.01Springfield$37.01Bloomington: $36.28Bloomington$36.28Peoria: $36.19Peoria$36.19Rockford: $34.99Rockford$34.99St. Louis: $34.13St. Louis$34.13Champaign: $32.20Champaign$32.20Cape Girardeau: $30.64Cape Girardeau$30.64Davenport: $29.06Davenport$29.06Paducah: $24.86Paducah$24.86
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Kankakee$22.95$45.81$47.52$47.5412021% above
Decatur$24.06$41.93$47.43$56.9518010% above
Chicago$19.82$38.68$37.34$56.9514,2202% above
Springfield$20.99$37.01$39.92$47.092903% below
Bloomington$22.62$36.28$38.80$49.631704% below
Peoria$20.40$36.19$39.68$50.697805% below
Rockford$22.34$34.99$37.95$50.178108% below
St. Louis$21.64$34.13$35.89$47.867,21010% below
Champaign$20.66$32.20$34.74$48.1031015% below
Cape Girardeau$20.75$30.64$35.59$43.7418019% below
Davenport$19.00$29.06$32.62$44.0167023% below
Paducah$17.47$24.86$28.87$35.2531035% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Carpenter wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$37.98Illinois$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.97$42.46$15.3535,750
2000$23.64$44.20$15.6941,340
2001$22.39$40.70$16.0939,570
2002$21.39$38.28$16.4445,640
2003$21.45$37.53$16.4740,670
2004$22.55$38.43$16.7841,500
2005$24.55$40.47$17.1139,270
2006$25.20$40.24$17.5742,660
2007$27.78$43.13$18.1142,510
2008$28.66$42.86$18.7239,670
2009$28.05$42.09$18.9834,240
2010$25.12$37.09$19.0028,930
2011$23.31$33.36$19.2427,550
2012$24.72$34.66$19.2023,620
2013$24.76$34.22$19.4722,040
2014$26.73$36.35$19.6322,940
2015$26.54$36.05$20.2423,620
2016$29.23$39.21$20.9624,720
2017$29.88$39.24$21.7125,200
2018$33.40$42.82$22.4026,970
2019$33.22$41.83$23.2426,550
2020$35.19$43.77$23.8126,300
2021$30.17$35.85$23.2022,840
2022$32.10$35.31$24.7123,470
2023$32.89$34.75$27.0923,990
2024$36.73$37.70$28.5124,930
2025$37.98$37.98$29.1219,570

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Illinois changed by +5.4% over the last ten years of data and by -9.2% since 2019.

Are there more carpenter jobs in Illinois?

-26.3%Jobs since 201926,550 then, 19,570 in 2025
-17.1%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 40th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of carpenters counted in Illinois has changed by -45.3%, against -13.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -26.3%.

Carpenters in Illinois vs United States, 1999 = 100IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages25507510012515020002005201020152020202587United States55Illinois
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Illinois vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearIllinois jobsIllinois indexUS index
199935,750100100
200041,340116111
200139,570111110
200245,640128111
200340,670114110
200441,500116114
200539,270110121
200642,660119128
200742,510119126
200839,670111117
200934,2409696
201028,9308180
201127,5507775
201223,6206674
201322,0406275
201422,9406480
201523,6206683
201624,7206988
201725,2007090
201826,9707593
201926,5507495
202026,3007491
202122,8406487
202223,4706690
202323,9906791
202424,9307090
202519,5705587

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for carpenters in Illinois

+5.8%Projected growth in Illinois2024–2034, state agency
2,350Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
29,790Jobs in 202431,510 projected for 2034
+3.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Illinois's labor market agency projects the number of carpenters in the state to change by +5.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 29,790 to 31,510, with about 2,350 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 19,570 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Illinois labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 102 of the 102 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $76.45 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $37.98.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $76.45 (union)Alexander: $82.92 (union)Bond: $76.45 (union)Boone: $76.45 (union)Brown: $76.45 (union)Bureau: $76.45 (union)Calhoun: $76.45 (union)Carroll: $76.45 (union)Cass: $76.45 (union)Champaign: $82.92 (union)Christian: $82.92 (union)Clark: $82.92 (union)Clay: $82.92 (union)Clinton: $76.45 (union)Coles: $82.92 (union)Cook: $90.86 (union)Crawford: $82.92 (union)Cumberland: $82.92 (union)DeKalb: $76.45 (union)De Witt: $82.92 (union)Douglas: $82.92 (union)DuPage: $80.92 (union)Edgar: $82.92 (union)Edwards: $82.92 (union)Effingham: $82.92 (union)Fayette: $82.92 (union)Ford: $82.92 (union)Franklin: $82.92 (union)Fulton: $76.45 (union)Gallatin: $82.92 (union)Greene: $76.45 (union)Grundy: $80.92 (union)Hamilton: $82.92 (union)Hancock: $76.45 (union)Hardin: $82.92 (union)Henderson: $76.45 (union)Henry: $76.45 (union)Iroquois: $82.92 (union)Jackson: $82.92 (union)Jasper: $82.92 (union)Jefferson: $82.92 (union)Jersey: $76.45 (union)Jo Daviess: $76.45 (union)Johnson: $82.92 (union)Kane: $80.92 (union)Kankakee: $85.42 (union)Kendall: $80.92 (union)Knox: $76.45 (union)Lake: $80.92 (union)LaSalle: $76.45 (union)Lawrence: $82.92 (union)Lee: $76.45 (union)Livingston: $76.45 (union)Logan: $76.45 (union)McDonough: $76.45 (union)McHenry: $80.92 (union)McLean: $76.45 (union)Macon: $61.96 (union)Macoupin: $76.45 (union)Madison: $60.26 (union)Marion: $82.92 (union)Marshall: $76.45 (union)Mason: $76.45 (union)Massac: $82.92 (union)Menard: $76.45 (union)Mercer: $76.45 (union)Monroe: $76.45 (union)Montgomery: $76.45 (union)Morgan: $76.45 (union)Moultrie: $82.92 (union)Ogle: $76.45 (union)Peoria: $62.68 (union)Perry: $82.92 (union)Piatt: $82.92 (union)Pike: $76.45 (union)Pope: $82.92 (union)Pulaski: $82.92 (union)Putnam: $76.45 (union)Randolph: $76.45 (union)Richland: $82.92 (union)Rock Island: $76.45 (union)St. Clair: $60.26 (union)Saline: $82.92 (union)Sangamon: $57.38 (union)Schuyler: $76.45 (union)Scott: $76.45 (union)Shelby: $82.92 (union)Stark: $76.45 (union)Stephenson: $76.45 (union)Tazewell: $62.68 (union)Union: $82.92 (union)Vermilion: $82.92 (union)Wabash: $82.92 (union)Warren: $76.45 (union)Washington: $76.45 (union)Wayne: $82.92 (union)White: $82.92 (union)Whiteside: $76.45 (union)Will: $80.92 (union)Williamson: $82.92 (union)Winnebago: $76.45 (union)Woodford: $76.45 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$76.45$82.92
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for carpenters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$20$40$60$80$100/hrMassac (Paducah): market median $24.86, prevailing (union) $82.92, gap +$58.06Massac (Paducah)+$58.06Alexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $30.64, prevailing (union) $82.92, gap +$52.28Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$52.28Cook (Chicago): market median $38.68, prevailing (union) $90.86, gap +$52.18Cook (Chicago)+$52.18Champaign (Champaign): market median $32.20, prevailing (union) $82.92, gap +$50.72Champaign (Champaign)+$50.72Henry (Davenport): market median $29.06, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$47.39Henry (Davenport)+$47.39Bond (St. Louis): market median $34.13, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$42.32Bond (St. Louis)+$42.32Boone (Rockford): market median $34.99, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$41.46Boone (Rockford)+$41.46Marshall (Peoria): market median $36.19, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$40.26Marshall (Peoria)+$40.26McLean (Bloomington): market median $36.28, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$40.17McLean (Bloomington)+$40.17Kankakee (Kankakee): market median $45.81, prevailing (union) $85.42, gap +$39.61Kankakee (Kankakee)+$39.61Menard (Springfield): market median $37.01, prevailing (union) $76.45, gap +$39.44Menard (Springfield)+$39.44Macon (Decatur): market median $41.93, prevailing (union) $61.96, gap +$20.03Macon (Decatur)+$20.03
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CookUnion CARP0555-001 2022-06-01$52.01$38.85$90.86IL20260009
KankakeeUnion CARP0555-016 2023-06-01$44.46$40.96$85.42IL20260006
AlexanderUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
ChampaignUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
ChristianUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
ClarkUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
ClayUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
ColesUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
CrawfordUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
CumberlandUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
De WittUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
DouglasUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
EdgarUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
EdwardsUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002
EffinghamUnion CARP0555-014 2022-06-01$42.96$39.96$82.92IL20260002

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Illinois prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Illinois?

268.8kConstruction jobsIllinois, 2026-09
+6.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025269kSep 2026
Construction employment in Illinois (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

More on Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Illinois?

The median carpenter in Illinois earned $37.98 an hour ($79,000 a year) in May 2025, 30% above the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $27.00–$51.42; the top 10% earn more than $56.57.

Where does Illinois rank for carpenter pay?

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $37.98 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 102 counties, with a typical package of $76.45 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Illinois?

BLS counted 19,570 carpenters in Illinois in May 2025, 3.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.74; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is carpenter work growing in Illinois?

The BLS employer survey count of carpenters in Illinois went from 23,620 in 2015 to 19,570 in 2025, -17.1%, and -26.3% since 2019. Illinois's labor market agency projects +5.8% growth for carpenters between 2024 and 2034, from 29,790 to 31,510 jobs.

How many carpenter openings a year are there in Illinois?

Illinois projects about 2,350 openings a year for carpenters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 62,800 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 47-2031. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Illinois labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.