Pipelayers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,580 or more. The middle half of pipelayers in Chicago earn between $45,700 and $62,410.
- $43K10th
- $46K25th
- $55KMedian
- $62K75th
- $75K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $56,840 | $4,737 | $27.33 |
| Median | $54,520 | $4,543 | $26.21 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,700 | $3,808 | $21.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,410 | $5,201 | $30.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Pipelayers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $56,840, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $45,178 a year, or $3,765 a month and $1,738 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% 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 | $46,176 | $3,848 |
| Working in IL | $45,178 | $3,765 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for pipelayers? 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 $56,840 buys what about $54,868 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 6.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Pipelayers salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$90,340
- South Bend, IN$78,090
- Madison, WI$91,050
- Indianapolis, IN$71,450
- Green Bay, WI$86,120
- Toledo, OH$73,660
Highest-paying cities for pipelayers
Madison, WI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,050).
- Madison, WI$91,050
- Milwaukee, WI$90,340
- Minneapolis, MN$88,060
- Green Bay, WI$86,120
- Seattle, WA$84,530
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Pipelayers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do pipelayers make an hour in Chicago?
$27.33 an hour on average, and $26.21 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pipelayers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pipelayers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $45,178 a year ($3,765 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,840.
Do pipelayers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($55,010).
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 47-2151; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.7%.
- 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 0.26, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.26).
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