Boilermakers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,410 a year or less, while the top 10% make $117,660 or more. The middle half of boilermakers in Chicago earn between $100,560 and $116,690.
- $79K10th
- $101K25th
- $110KMedian
- $117K75th
- $118K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $103,930 | $8,661 | $49.97 |
| Median | $109,640 | $9,137 | $52.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $100,560 | $8,380 | $48.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $116,690 | $9,724 | $56.10 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Boilermakers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $103,930, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $76,941 a year, or $6,412 a month and $2,959 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $78,857 | $6,571 |
| Working in IL | $76,941 | $6,412 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for boilermakers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $103,930 buys what about $100,323 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Boilermakers salary in nearby metro areas
- Toledo, OH$99,470
- Detroit, MI$95,420
- St. Louis, MO$95,210
- Cleveland, OH$89,990
- Minneapolis, MN$102,760
- Huntington, WV$75,620
Highest-paying cities for boilermakers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($132,500).
- San Francisco, CA$132,500
- Los Angeles, CA$115,200
- Chicago, IL$103,930
- Minneapolis, MN$102,760
- Toledo, OH$99,470
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Boilermakers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do boilermakers make an hour in Chicago?
$49.96 an hour on average, and $52.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level boilermakers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,410 a year and the 25th percentile is $100,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the boilermakers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $76,941 a year ($6,412 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $103,930.
Do boilermakers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($82,188).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.30, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.30).
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