Skilled Wages

Electrician salary in Illinois

Median $47.87 an hour for 23,120 electricians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$47.87/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$99,560/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.67 – $59.4510th to 90th percentilehourly range
23,120Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Electrician pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrIllinois: 10th $23.67 · 25th $35.35 · median $47.87 · 75th $56.47 · 90th $59.45Illinois$47.87$23.67$59.45United States: 10th $20.50 · 25th $23.76 · median $30.38 · 75th $40.36 · 90th $52.17United States$30.38
Hourly wage percentiles for electricians: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for median electrician pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $47.87). 23,120 electricians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.5× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.67 – $35.35$49,240 – $73,520roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$35.35 – $56.47$73,520 – $117,460the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$56.47 – $59.45$117,460 – $123,660the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Electrician pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrKankakee: $50.72Kankakee$50.72Chicago: $49.21Chicago$49.21Champaign: $48.23Champaign$48.23Rockford: $44.85Rockford$44.85Springfield: $40.76Springfield$40.76Decatur: $38.95Decatur$38.95Peoria: $38.68Peoria$38.68Bloomington: $38.19Bloomington$38.19St. Louis: $37.10St. Louis$37.10Davenport: $36.99Davenport$36.99Paducah: $35.54Paducah$35.54Cape Girardeau: $28.71Cape Girardeau$28.71
Median hourly wage for electricians by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Kankakee$28.55$50.72$52.61$53.601406% above
Chicago$23.99$49.21$47.50$59.6517,7203% above
Champaign$23.06$48.23$52.03$50.824101% above
Rockford$28.22$44.85$48.64$60.143706% below
Springfield$22.52$40.76$43.97$56.0433015% below
Decatur$23.74$38.95$44.06$57.2240019% below
Peoria$22.13$38.68$42.41$52.1688019% below
Bloomington$18.32$38.19$40.84$50.2333020% below
St. Louis$22.54$37.10$39.01$50.395,92022% below
Davenport$19.54$36.99$41.52$49.271,45023% below
Paducah$18.71$35.54$41.28$43.0240026% below
Cape Girardeau$21.42$28.71$33.34$47.7915040% below

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

Electrician wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$47.87Illinois$30.38United States
Median hourly wage for electricians, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$24.59$47.52$19.1335,260
2000$26.02$48.65$19.2928,520
2001$23.28$42.32$19.6027,400
2002$24.48$43.81$19.9029,790
2003$25.99$45.47$20.0428,270
2004$25.90$44.14$20.3327,370
2005$27.05$44.59$20.5726,890
2006$29.55$47.19$20.9722,700
2007$33.05$51.32$21.5326,650
2008$34.16$51.08$22.3227,070
2009$34.01$51.04$22.6825,750
2010$33.90$50.05$23.2022,940
2011$34.88$49.92$23.7123,310
2012$35.15$49.29$23.9623,740
2013$35.67$49.30$24.2822,790
2014$36.51$49.65$24.5722,680
2015$35.61$48.37$24.9422,220
2016$37.43$50.21$25.3520,330
2017$37.19$48.85$26.0122,810
2018$38.35$49.17$26.5324,410
2019$39.17$49.33$27.0125,400
2020$40.38$50.23$27.3623,410
2021$42.74$50.78$28.8721,050
2022$42.73$47.01$28.9619,910
2023$45.72$48.31$29.6121,890
2024$46.33$47.55$29.9822,880
2025$47.87$47.87$30.3823,120

In today's dollars, the median electrician wage in Illinois changed by -1.0% over the last ten years of data and by -3.0% since 2019.

Are there more electrician jobs in Illinois?

-9.0%Jobs since 201925,400 then, 23,120 in 2025
+4.1%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 47th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of electricians counted in Illinois has changed by -34.4%, against +23.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -9.0%.

Electricians in Illinois vs United States, 1999 = 100IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages255075100125150200020052010201520202025124United States66Illinois
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
199935,260100100
200028,52081105
200127,40078102
200229,7908497
200328,2708095
200427,3707895
200526,8907699
200622,70064101
200726,65076102
200827,07077103
200925,7507395
201022,9406584
201123,3106684
201223,7406785
201322,7906589
201422,6806493
201522,2206397
201620,3305899
201722,81065103
201824,41069107
201925,40072112
202023,41066107
202121,05060106
202219,91056113
202321,89062116
202422,88065121
202523,12066124

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 electricians in Illinois

+9.7%Projected growth in Illinois2024–2034, state agency
2,380Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
23,990Jobs in 202426,320 projected for 2034
+9.2%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Illinois's labor market agency projects the number of electricians in the state to change by +9.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 23,990 to 26,320, with about 2,380 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.2% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 23,120 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 electricians in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay electricians 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 $83.99 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $47.87.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $83.99 (union)Alexander: $71.70 (union)Bond: $83.99 (union)Boone: $83.99 (union)Brown: $83.99 (union)Bureau: $83.99 (union)Calhoun: $83.99 (union)Carroll: $83.99 (union)Cass: $83.99 (union)Champaign: $71.70 (union)Christian: $71.70 (union)Clark: $71.70 (union)Clay: $71.70 (union)Clinton: $83.99 (union)Coles: $71.70 (union)Cook: $100.64 (union)Crawford: $71.70 (union)Cumberland: $71.70 (union)DeKalb: $83.99 (union)De Witt: $71.70 (union)Douglas: $71.70 (union)DuPage: $103.64 (union)Edgar: $71.70 (union)Edwards: $71.70 (union)Effingham: $71.70 (union)Fayette: $71.70 (union)Ford: $71.70 (union)Franklin: $71.70 (union)Fulton: $83.99 (union)Gallatin: $71.70 (union)Greene: $83.99 (union)Grundy: $103.64 (union)Hamilton: $71.70 (union)Hancock: $83.99 (union)Hardin: $71.70 (union)Henderson: $83.99 (union)Henry: $83.99 (union)Iroquois: $71.70 (union)Jackson: $71.70 (union)Jasper: $71.70 (union)Jefferson: $71.70 (union)Jersey: $83.99 (union)Jo Daviess: $83.99 (union)Johnson: $71.70 (union)Kane: $103.64 (union)Kankakee: $96.60 (union)Kendall: $103.64 (union)Knox: $83.99 (union)Lake: $103.64 (union)LaSalle: $83.99 (union)Lawrence: $71.70 (union)Lee: $83.99 (union)Livingston: $83.99 (union)Logan: $83.99 (union)McDonough: $83.99 (union)McHenry: $103.64 (union)McLean: $83.99 (union)Macon: $72.16 (union)Macoupin: $83.99 (union)Madison: $82.68 (union)Marion: $71.70 (union)Marshall: $83.99 (union)Mason: $83.99 (union)Massac: $71.70 (union)Menard: $83.99 (union)Mercer: $83.99 (union)Monroe: $83.99 (union)Montgomery: $83.99 (union)Morgan: $83.99 (union)Moultrie: $71.70 (union)Ogle: $83.99 (union)Peoria: $63.74 (union)Perry: $71.70 (union)Piatt: $71.70 (union)Pike: $83.99 (union)Pope: $71.70 (union)Pulaski: $71.70 (union)Putnam: $83.99 (union)Randolph: $83.99 (union)Richland: $71.70 (union)Rock Island: $83.99 (union)St. Clair: $82.68 (union)Saline: $71.70 (union)Sangamon: $41.95 (union)Schuyler: $83.99 (union)Scott: $83.99 (union)Shelby: $71.70 (union)Stark: $83.99 (union)Stephenson: $83.99 (union)Tazewell: $63.74 (union)Union: $71.70 (union)Vermilion: $71.70 (union)Wabash: $71.70 (union)Warren: $83.99 (union)Washington: $83.99 (union)Wayne: $71.70 (union)White: $71.70 (union)Whiteside: $83.99 (union)Will: $103.64 (union)Williamson: $71.70 (union)Winnebago: $83.99 (union)Woodford: $83.99 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$71.70$83.99
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for electricians 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$25$50$75$100$125/hrDuPage (Chicago): market median $49.21, prevailing (union) $103.64, gap +$54.43DuPage (Chicago)+$54.43Henry (Davenport): market median $36.99, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$47.00Henry (Davenport)+$47.00Bond (St. Louis): market median $37.10, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$46.89Bond (St. Louis)+$46.89Kankakee (Kankakee): market median $50.72, prevailing (union) $96.60, gap +$45.88Kankakee (Kankakee)+$45.88McLean (Bloomington): market median $38.19, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$45.80McLean (Bloomington)+$45.80Marshall (Peoria): market median $38.68, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$45.31Marshall (Peoria)+$45.31Menard (Springfield): market median $40.76, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$43.23Menard (Springfield)+$43.23Alexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $28.71, prevailing (union) $71.70, gap +$42.99Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$42.99Boone (Rockford): market median $44.85, prevailing (union) $83.99, gap +$39.14Boone (Rockford)+$39.14Massac (Paducah): market median $35.54, prevailing (union) $71.70, gap +$36.16Massac (Paducah)+$36.16Macon (Decatur): market median $38.95, prevailing (union) $72.16, gap +$33.21Macon (Decatur)+$33.21Champaign (Champaign): market median $48.23, prevailing (union) $71.70, gap +$23.47Champaign (Champaign)+$23.47
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for electricians, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
DuPageUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
GrundyUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
KaneUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
KendallUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
LakeUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
McHenryUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
WillUnion ELEC0150-002 2025-06-02$51.87$51.77$103.64IL20260008
CookUnion ELEC0134-001 2025-06-02$57.75$42.89$100.64IL20260009
KankakeeUnion ELEC0176-007 2023-06-01$51.60$45.00$96.60IL20260006
AdamsUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001
BondUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001
BooneUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001
BrownUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001
BureauUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001
CalhounUnion ELEC0649-001 2025-12-28$54.53$29.46$83.99IL20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. 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.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at electrical contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just electricians), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 91 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 136,127 in 2015 to 152,071 in 2025, +11.7%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Stephenson County10154$158,671$3,051
LaSalle County24230$118,002$2,269
DuPage County3015,052$117,321$2,256
Cook County96910,944$107,246$2,062
Whiteside County5204$106,069$2,040
Madison County38872$105,704$2,033
St. Clair County32318$104,791$2,015
Henry County13416$101,599$1,954
Winnebago County38275$97,334$1,872
Will County1421,006$97,015$1,866
Saline County10144$96,135$1,849
Macon County13558$94,542$1,818

Keep comparing

Electrician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

More on Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do electricians make in Illinois?

The median electrician in Illinois earned $47.87 an hour ($99,560 a year) in May 2025, 58% above the national median of $30.38. The middle half earn $35.35–$56.47; the top 10% earn more than $59.45.

Where does Illinois rank for electrician pay?

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for electrician pay, with a median of $47.87 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union electrician rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for electricians in 102 counties, with a typical package of $83.99 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many electricians work in Illinois?

BLS counted 23,120 electricians in Illinois in May 2025, 3.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.78; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is electrician work growing in Illinois?

The BLS employer survey count of electricians in Illinois went from 22,220 in 2015 to 23,120 in 2025, +4.1%, and -9.0% since 2019. Illinois's labor market agency projects +9.7% growth for electricians between 2024 and 2034, from 23,990 to 26,320 jobs.

How many electrician openings a year are there in Illinois?

Illinois projects about 2,380 openings a year for electricians over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 72,700 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 47-2111. 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 2026-11-06. 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.