Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Illinois

Median $41.65 an hour for 3,260 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$41.65/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$86,630/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.30 – $56.6910th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,260Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Sheet metal worker pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrIllinois: 10th $20.30 · 25th $28.56 · median $41.65 · 75th $50.64 · 90th $56.69Illinois$41.65$20.30$56.69United States: 10th $18.57 · 25th $22.99 · median $29.71 · 75th $39.24 · 90th $50.79United States$29.71
Hourly wage percentiles for sheet metal workers: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 5th of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 4th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $41.65). 3,260 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$20.30 – $28.56$42,220 – $59,400roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$28.56 – $50.64$59,400 – $105,330the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$50.64 – $56.69$105,330 – $117,910the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $45.82Chicago$45.82Champaign: $44.57Champaign$44.57Springfield: $43.43Springfield$43.43Peoria: $41.89Peoria$41.89Paducah: $37.99Paducah$37.99Rockford: $37.81Rockford$37.81Davenport: $34.80Davenport$34.80St. Louis: $31.77St. Louis$31.77Cape Girardeau: $27.50Cape Girardeau$27.50
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chicago$20.30$45.82$58.812,43010% above
Champaign$21.37$44.57$48.331107% above
Springfield$22.10$43.43$54.06404% above
Peoria$21.95$41.89$53.011201% above
Paducah$18.57$37.99$41.17709% below
Rockford$21.49$37.81$52.411509% below
Davenport$24.28$34.80$41.1044016% below
St. Louis$19.61$31.77$51.721,05024% below
Cape Girardeau$22.28$27.50$53.375034% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$41.65Illinois$29.71United States
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.40$41.35$14.0914,400
2000$21.79$40.74$15.3110,410
2001$23.21$42.19$15.978,330
2002$24.79$44.36$16.626,670
2003$25.61$44.81$16.836,160
2004$27.40$46.70$17.096,420
2005$28.31$46.67$17.506,320
2006$26.70$42.64$17.966,610
2007$27.18$42.20$18.856,320
2008$29.10$43.51$19.377,600
2009$30.38$45.59$19.546,710
2010$29.38$43.38$20.055,360
2011$29.30$41.94$20.554,940
2012$25.84$36.23$20.815,100
2013$29.29$40.48$21.104,090
2014$34.88$47.43$21.673,330
2015$37.18$50.50$21.993,490
2016$39.49$52.97$22.574,120
2017$38.55$50.63$23.074,450
2018$38.52$49.39$23.304,990
2019$35.99$45.32$24.235,400
2020$29.23$36.36$24.705,320
2021$31.19$37.06$25.695,300
2022$41.10$45.21$26.614,690
2023$43.04$45.48$28.264,430
2024$44.99$46.17$29.264,240
2025$41.65$41.65$29.713,260

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Illinois changed by -17.5% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay sheet metal workers 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 $71.05 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $41.65.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $71.05 (union)Alexander: $71.05 (union)Bond: $71.05 (union)Boone: $71.05 (union)Brown: $71.05 (union)Bureau: $71.05 (union)Calhoun: $71.05 (union)Carroll: $71.05 (union)Cass: $71.05 (union)Champaign: $71.05 (union)Christian: $71.05 (union)Clark: $71.05 (union)Clay: $71.05 (union)Clinton: $71.05 (union)Coles: $71.05 (union)Cook: $92.01 (union)Crawford: $71.05 (union)Cumberland: $71.05 (union)DeKalb: $71.05 (union)De Witt: $71.05 (union)Douglas: $71.05 (union)DuPage: $95.00 (union)Edgar: $71.05 (union)Edwards: $71.05 (union)Effingham: $71.05 (union)Fayette: $71.05 (union)Ford: $71.05 (union)Franklin: $71.05 (union)Fulton: $71.05 (union)Gallatin: $71.05 (union)Greene: $71.05 (union)Grundy: $95.00 (union)Hamilton: $71.05 (union)Hancock: $71.05 (union)Hardin: $71.05 (union)Henderson: $71.05 (union)Henry: $71.05 (union)Iroquois: $71.05 (union)Jackson: $71.05 (union)Jasper: $71.05 (union)Jefferson: $71.05 (union)Jersey: $71.05 (union)Jo Daviess: $71.05 (union)Johnson: $71.05 (union)Kane: $95.00 (union)Kankakee: $95.00 (union)Kendall: $95.00 (union)Knox: $71.05 (union)Lake: $95.00 (union)LaSalle: $71.05 (union)Lawrence: $71.05 (union)Lee: $71.05 (union)Livingston: $71.05 (union)Logan: $71.05 (union)McDonough: $71.05 (union)McHenry: $95.00 (union)McLean: $71.05 (union)Macon: $67.00 (union)Macoupin: $71.05 (union)Madison: $71.05 (union)Marion: $71.05 (union)Marshall: $71.05 (union)Mason: $71.05 (union)Massac: $71.05 (union)Menard: $71.05 (union)Mercer: $71.05 (union)Monroe: $71.05 (union)Montgomery: $71.05 (union)Morgan: $71.05 (union)Moultrie: $71.05 (union)Ogle: $71.05 (union)Peoria: $72.56 (union)Perry: $71.05 (union)Piatt: $71.05 (union)Pike: $71.05 (union)Pope: $71.05 (union)Pulaski: $71.05 (union)Putnam: $71.05 (union)Randolph: $71.05 (union)Richland: $71.05 (union)Rock Island: $71.05 (union)St. Clair: $71.05 (union)Saline: $71.05 (union)Sangamon: $68.91 (union)Schuyler: $71.05 (union)Scott: $71.05 (union)Shelby: $71.05 (union)Stark: $71.05 (union)Stephenson: $71.05 (union)Tazewell: $72.56 (union)Union: $71.05 (union)Vermilion: $71.05 (union)Wabash: $71.05 (union)Warren: $71.05 (union)Washington: $71.05 (union)Wayne: $71.05 (union)White: $71.05 (union)Whiteside: $71.05 (union)Will: $95.00 (union)Williamson: $71.05 (union)Winnebago: $71.05 (union)Woodford: $71.05 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$71.05
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for sheet metal workers 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/hrKankakee (Illinois): market median $41.65, prevailing (union) $95.00, gap +$53.35Kankakee (Illinois)+$53.35DuPage (Chicago): market median $45.82, prevailing (union) $95.00, gap +$49.18DuPage (Chicago)+$49.18Alexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $27.50, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$43.55Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$43.55Bond (St. Louis): market median $31.77, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$39.28Bond (St. Louis)+$39.28Henry (Davenport): market median $34.80, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$36.25Henry (Davenport)+$36.25Boone (Rockford): market median $37.81, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$33.24Boone (Rockford)+$33.24Massac (Paducah): market median $37.99, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$33.06Massac (Paducah)+$33.06Peoria (Peoria): market median $41.89, prevailing (union) $72.56, gap +$30.67Peoria (Peoria)+$30.67Menard (Springfield): market median $43.43, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$27.62Menard (Springfield)+$27.62Champaign (Champaign): market median $44.57, prevailing (union) $71.05, gap +$26.48Champaign (Champaign)+$26.48
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
DuPageUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
GrundyUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
KaneUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
KankakeeUnion SHEE0265-003 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260006
KendallUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
LakeUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
McHenryUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
WillUnion SHEE0265-001 2024-06-01$56.35$38.65$95.00IL20260008
CookUnion SHEE0073-001 2022-06-01$49.10$42.91$92.01IL20260009
PeoriaUnion SHEE0001-002 2024-05-01$39.50$33.06$72.56IL20260003
TazewellUnion SHEE0001-002 2024-05-01$39.50$33.06$72.56IL20260003
AdamsUnion SHEE0268-001 2025-07-01$46.57$24.48$71.05IL20260001
AlexanderUnion SHEE0268-003 2025-07-01$46.57$24.48$71.05IL20260002
BondUnion SHEE0268-001 2025-07-01$46.57$24.48$71.05IL20260001
BooneUnion SHEE0268-001 2025-07-01$46.57$24.48$71.05IL20260001

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 sheet metal workers), 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

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Illinois?

The median sheet metal worker in Illinois earned $41.65 an hour ($86,630 a year) in May 2025, 40% above the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $28.56–$50.64; the top 10% earn more than $56.69.

Where does Illinois rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Illinois ranks 5th of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $41.65 an hour, and 4th after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 102 counties, with a typical package of $71.05 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Illinois?

BLS counted 3,260 sheet metal workers in Illinois in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.69; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois and metro areas, SOC 47-2211.
  • 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.