Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $80,440 a year, or about $38.68 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $77,652 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 35% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K 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 carpenters
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for carpenters, local pay runs about 33% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 35% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for carpenters in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $73K | $79K |
| Peoria | $75K | $83K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $67K | $72K |
| Springfield | $77K | $83K |
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 carpenters (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $85K | +41% | 4,810 |
| Illinois | $79K | +30% | 19,570 |
| California | $76K | +25% | 100,750 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +24% | 18,540 |
| Washington | $74K | +22% | 26,960 |
| Alaska | $74K | +22% | 2,560 |
| New York | $72K | +19% | 40,630 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +7% | 14,930 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +6% | 5,160 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +6% | 14,230 |
| Maryland | $63K | +4% | 9,770 |
| Oregon | $63K | +4% | 15,110 |
| Indiana | $63K | +4% | 15,240 |
| Colorado | $63K | +4% | 12,740 |
| Vermont | $62K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Nevada | $62K | +3% | 12,700 |
| Maine | $62K | +3% | 5,170 |
| District of Columbia | $62K | +2% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $62K | +2% | 18,590 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +2% | 13,880 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +1% | 3,760 |
| Missouri | $61K | +0% | 14,410 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +0% | 2,580 |
| Ohio | $61K | +0% | 18,450 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -1% | 3,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -2% | 30,630 |
| Delaware | $59K | -2% | 2,250 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 4,030 |
| Arizona | $59K | -3% | 16,230 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 2,360 |
| Iowa | $58K | -5% | 5,770 |
| Kansas | $57K | -6% | 5,210 |
| Wyoming | $57K | -6% | 2,260 |
| Virginia | $56K | -8% | 20,460 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -13% | 8,540 |
| Utah | $52K | -14% | 15,220 |
| Idaho | $52K | -14% | 8,380 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -16% | 8,200 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -16% | 6,950 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -17% | 5,710 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -18% | 8,990 |
| Florida | $50K | -18% | 39,300 |
| Georgia | $49K | -19% | 9,190 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -19% | 13,480 |
| Texas | $49K | -19% | 33,540 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -20% | 3,670 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -20% | 2,950 |
| Alabama | $48K | -20% | 5,560 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -21% | 4,560 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -21% | 4,030 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -23% | 3,820 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 35% 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 $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,473/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is carpenter a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $80K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for carpenters?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $80,440 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,220, and experienced carpenters can clear $118,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,083/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 35% 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 carpenters 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 carpenters salary is worth about $77,652 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do carpenters 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.