Electricians Salary
In Illinois, electricians earn $99,560 at the median, or about $47.87 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $106,084 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $100K get you in Illinois?
About electricians
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for electricians, local pay runs about 58% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 23% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for electricianss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level electricians (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Electricians salary by metro in Illinois
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee | $106K | +6% | 140 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $102K | +3% | 17,720 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $100K | +1% | 410 |
| Rockford | $93K | -6% | 370 |
| Springfield | $85K | -15% | 330 |
| Decatur | $81K | -19% | 400 |
| Peoria | $80K | -19% | 880 |
| Bloomington | $79K | -20% | 330 |
Compare to other states
Track electricians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 23% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electricians in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electricians typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,954/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrician a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 58% above the national median — $100K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for electricians?
Illinois pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electricians make in Illinois?
The median is $99,560 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,240, and experienced electricians can clear $123,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,125/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 23% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electricians salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electricians salary is worth about $106,084 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electricians 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.