Structural Iron and Steel Workers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,620 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,530 or more. The middle half of structural iron and steel workers in Chicago earn between $83,630 and $121,760.
- $65K10th
- $84K25th
- $102KMedian
- $122K75th
- $125K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $100,620 | $8,385 | $48.38 |
| Median | $102,350 | $8,529 | $49.21 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $83,630 | $6,969 | $40.21 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $121,760 | $10,147 | $58.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $100,620, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $74,777 a year, or $6,231 a month and $2,876 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 | $76,628 | $6,386 |
| Working in IL | $74,777 | $6,231 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for structural iron and steel workers? 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 $100,620 buys what about $97,128 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$100,620
- Rockford$92,900
- Champaign$88,440
- Peoria$81,890
- Springfield$76,990
- Decatur$72,880
Highest-paying cities for structural iron and steel workers
Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($113,210).
- Boston, MA$113,210
- Trenton, NJ$111,350
- Atlantic City, NJ$110,360
- Olympia, WA$107,460
- Vineland, NJ$103,660
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Structural Iron and Steel Workers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do structural iron and steel workers make an hour in Chicago?
$48.38 an hour on average, and $49.21 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level structural iron and steel workers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,620 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the structural iron and steel workers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $74,777 a year ($6,231 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $100,620.
Do structural iron and steel workers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 39% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($72,153).
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 47-2221; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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 1.07, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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