Bridge and Lock Tenders Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, bridge and lock tenders earn $73,110 at the median, or about $35.15 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $70,576 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 37.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $73K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bridge and lock tenders
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for bridge and lock tenders, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bridge and lock tenders in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $71K | $80K |
| St. Louis | $74K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level bridge and lock tenders (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Bridge and Lock Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bridge and Lock Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $78K | +35% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $75K | +30% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $74K | +29% | 60 |
| Missouri | $74K | +28% | 40 |
| California | $72K | +25% | 80 |
| Illinois | $71K | +23% | 290 |
| Iowa | $71K | +23% | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $69K | +19% | 110 |
| Alabama | $67K | +16% | 70 |
| West Virginia | $65K | +13% | 60 |
| Indiana | $61K | +5% | 60 |
| Tennessee | $60K | +5% | 60 |
| Ohio | $58K | +1% | 110 |
| Kentucky | $58K | +1% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | -1% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | -3% | 40 |
| New York | $52K | -11% | 210 |
| Michigan | $51K | -12% | 130 |
| Virginia | $47K | -18% | 40 |
| Texas | $46K | -21% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -28% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -32% | 370 |
| Florida | $28K | -51% | 470 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track bridge and lock tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bridge and lock tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bridge and lock tenders in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bridge and lock tenders typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,550/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bridge and lock tender a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $73K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for bridge and lock tenders?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bridge and lock tenders make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $73,110 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,160, and experienced bridge and lock tenders can clear $88,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,683/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 38% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bridge and lock tenders salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bridge and lock tenders salary is worth about $70,576 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bridge and lock tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.