Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Illinois

Median $48.05 an hour for 16,750 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$48.05/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$99,950/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$24.16 – $60.7910th to 90th percentilehourly range
16,750Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Plumber pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrIllinois: 10th $24.16 · 25th $34.65 · median $48.05 · 75th $57.72 · 90th $60.79Illinois$48.05$24.16$60.79United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 1st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $48.05). 16,750 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$24.16 – $34.65$50,250 – $72,070roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$34.65 – $57.72$72,070 – $120,050the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$57.72 – $60.79$120,050 – $126,430the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $49.70Chicago$49.70Champaign: $45.93Champaign$45.93Springfield: $45.37Springfield$45.37Rockford: $45.31Rockford$45.31Peoria: $40.91Peoria$40.91Paducah: $39.48Paducah$39.48Kankakee: $39.24Kankakee$39.24Bloomington: $37.36Bloomington$37.36St. Louis: $37.02St. Louis$37.02Decatur: $36.90Decatur$36.90Davenport: $36.69Davenport$36.69Cape Girardeau: $31.34Cape Girardeau$31.34
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chicago$25.94$49.70$61.1512,7503% above
Champaign$24.37$45.93$54.263904% below
Springfield$23.27$45.37$58.292206% below
Rockford$24.48$45.31$57.764406% below
Peoria$22.98$40.91$56.4056015% below
Paducah$22.28$39.48$45.8638018% below
Kankakee$18.52$39.24$57.8311018% below
Bloomington$22.69$37.36$49.3918022% below
St. Louis$22.61$37.02$58.294,06023% below
Decatur$23.90$36.90$55.9918023% below
Davenport$22.39$36.69$48.5268024% below
Cape Girardeau$19.28$31.34$50.0312035% below

Plumber wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$48.05Illinois$30.67United States
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$27.10$52.37$17.4117,910
2000$27.74$51.86$18.1921,200
2001$27.97$50.85$18.6119,070
2002$29.51$52.81$19.3120,000
2003$30.31$53.03$19.6919,170
2004$30.46$51.91$19.8517,530
2005$30.64$50.51$20.2718,500
2006$32.07$51.21$20.5618,850
2007$33.33$51.75$21.2019,530
2008$35.82$53.56$21.9419,040
2009$33.93$50.92$22.2719,410
2010$33.08$48.84$22.4317,200
2011$32.58$46.63$22.9617,090
2012$33.32$46.72$23.6213,160
2013$33.48$46.27$24.1314,010
2014$36.07$49.05$24.3616,040
2015$36.56$49.66$24.3416,620
2016$38.53$51.68$24.7415,860
2017$39.60$52.01$25.2816,470
2018$40.57$52.01$25.9216,300
2019$43.85$55.22$26.5217,570
2020$44.74$55.65$27.0816,520
2021$45.71$54.31$28.7915,790
2022$47.29$52.02$28.8914,320
2023$45.43$48.00$29.5916,940
2024$46.25$47.47$30.2718,730
2025$48.05$48.05$30.6716,750

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Illinois changed by -3.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay plumbers 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 $73.68 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $48.05.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $66.54 (union)Alexander: $93.67 (union)Bond: $66.54 (union)Boone: $66.54 (union)Brown: $66.54 (union)Bureau: $66.54 (union)Calhoun: $66.54 (union)Carroll: $66.54 (union)Cass: $66.54 (union)Champaign: $93.67 (union)Christian: $93.67 (union)Clark: $93.67 (union)Clay: $93.67 (union)Clinton: $66.54 (union)Coles: $93.67 (union)Cook: $99.52 (union)Crawford: $93.67 (union)Cumberland: $93.67 (union)DeKalb: $66.54 (union)De Witt: $93.67 (union)Douglas: $93.67 (union)DuPage: $99.52 (union)Edgar: $93.67 (union)Edwards: $93.67 (union)Effingham: $93.67 (union)Fayette: $93.67 (union)Ford: $93.67 (union)Franklin: $93.67 (union)Fulton: $66.54 (union)Gallatin: $93.67 (union)Greene: $66.54 (union)Grundy: $99.52 (union)Hamilton: $93.67 (union)Hancock: $66.54 (union)Hardin: $93.67 (union)Henderson: $66.54 (union)Henry: $66.54 (union)Iroquois: $93.67 (union)Jackson: $93.67 (union)Jasper: $93.67 (union)Jefferson: $93.67 (union)Jersey: $66.54 (union)Jo Daviess: $66.54 (union)Johnson: $93.67 (union)Kane: $99.52 (union)Kankakee: $93.67 (union)Kendall: $99.52 (union)Knox: $66.54 (union)Lake: $99.52 (union)LaSalle: $66.54 (union)Lawrence: $93.67 (union)Lee: $66.54 (union)Livingston: $66.54 (union)Logan: $66.54 (union)McDonough: $66.54 (union)McHenry: $99.52 (union)McLean: $66.54 (union)Macon: $63.59 (union)Macoupin: $66.54 (union)Madison: $65.00 (union)Marion: $93.67 (union)Marshall: $66.54 (union)Mason: $66.54 (union)Massac: $93.67 (union)Menard: $66.54 (union)Mercer: $66.54 (union)Monroe: $66.54 (union)Montgomery: $66.54 (union)Morgan: $66.54 (union)Moultrie: $93.67 (union)Ogle: $66.54 (union)Peoria: $73.68 (union)Perry: $93.67 (union)Piatt: $93.67 (union)Pike: $66.54 (union)Pope: $93.67 (union)Pulaski: $93.67 (union)Putnam: $66.54 (union)Randolph: $66.54 (union)Richland: $93.67 (union)Rock Island: $66.54 (union)St. Clair: $65.00 (union)Saline: $93.67 (union)Sangamon: $69.60 (union)Schuyler: $66.54 (union)Scott: $66.54 (union)Shelby: $93.67 (union)Stark: $66.54 (union)Stephenson: $66.54 (union)Tazewell: $73.68 (union)Union: $93.67 (union)Vermilion: $93.67 (union)Wabash: $93.67 (union)Warren: $66.54 (union)Washington: $66.54 (union)Wayne: $93.67 (union)White: $93.67 (union)Whiteside: $66.54 (union)Will: $99.52 (union)Williamson: $93.67 (union)Winnebago: $66.54 (union)Woodford: $66.54 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$66.54$93.67
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$40$60$80$100$120/hrAlexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $31.34, prevailing (union) $93.67, gap +$62.33Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$62.33Kankakee (Kankakee): market median $39.24, prevailing (union) $93.67, gap +$54.43Kankakee (Kankakee)+$54.43Massac (Paducah): market median $39.48, prevailing (union) $93.67, gap +$54.19Massac (Paducah)+$54.19Cook (Chicago): market median $49.70, prevailing (union) $99.52, gap +$49.82Cook (Chicago)+$49.82Champaign (Champaign): market median $45.93, prevailing (union) $93.67, gap +$47.74Champaign (Champaign)+$47.74Peoria (Peoria): market median $40.91, prevailing (union) $73.68, gap +$32.77Peoria (Peoria)+$32.77Henry (Davenport): market median $36.69, prevailing (union) $66.54, gap +$29.85Henry (Davenport)+$29.85Bond (St. Louis): market median $37.02, prevailing (union) $66.54, gap +$29.52Bond (St. Louis)+$29.52McLean (Bloomington): market median $37.36, prevailing (union) $66.54, gap +$29.18McLean (Bloomington)+$29.18Macon (Decatur): market median $36.90, prevailing (union) $63.59, gap +$26.69Macon (Decatur)+$26.69Sangamon (Springfield): market median $45.37, prevailing (union) $69.60, gap +$24.23Sangamon (Springfield)+$24.23Boone (Rockford): market median $45.31, prevailing (union) $66.54, gap +$21.23Boone (Rockford)+$21.23
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CookUnion PLUM0130-001 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260009
DuPageUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
GrundyUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
KaneUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
KendallUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
LakeUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
McHenryUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
WillUnion PLUM0130-002 2025-06-01$60.50$39.02$99.52IL20260008
AlexanderUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
ChampaignUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
ChristianUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
ClarkUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
ClayUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
ColesUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002
CrawfordUnion PLUM0130-003 2025-06-01$55.40$38.27$93.67IL20260002

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. 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?

271.6kConstruction jobsIllinois, 2026-08
+6.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025272kAug 2026
Construction employment in Illinois (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
DuPage County5,922$104,818$2,016
Stephenson County369$102,060$1,963
Winnebago County1,104$98,085$1,886
Boone County107$97,154$1,868
Cook County13,727$96,991$1,865
Peoria County1,185$95,803$1,842
Kane County1,800$95,236$1,831
Lake County2,242$93,138$1,791
Grundy County316$90,795$1,746
McHenry County1,456$89,729$1,726
Will County2,010$88,263$1,697
St. Clair County636$88,253$1,697

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Illinois?

The median plumber in Illinois earned $48.05 an hour ($99,950 a year) in May 2025, 57% above the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $34.65–$57.72; the top 10% earn more than $60.79.

Where does Illinois rank for plumber pay?

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $48.05 an hour, and 1st after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 102 counties, with a typical package of $73.68 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Illinois?

BLS counted 16,750 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Illinois in May 2025, 2.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.92; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 47-2152.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.