Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Salary
The median pay for a jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,990/year ($26.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $53,084 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 49.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K 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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 49.1% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $57K | $62K |
| St. Louis | $56K | $59K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | $52K |
| Kansas City | $56K | $60K |
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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $70K | +33% | 140 |
| Virginia | $62K | +18% | 240 |
| New York | $62K | +17% | 4,300 |
| California | $61K | +16% | 2,300 |
| South Carolina | $60K | +15% | 200 |
| Washington | $60K | +15% | 290 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +13% | 780 |
| Vermont | $59K | +11% | 50 |
| Kansas | $58K | +10% | 110 |
| Colorado | $57K | +9% | 220 |
| North Dakota | $57K | +9% | 50 |
| Michigan | $57K | +8% | 460 |
| Missouri | $56K | +7% | 490 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +6% | 280 |
| North Carolina | $55K | +5% | 770 |
| Mississippi | $55K | +5% | 40 |
| Illinois | $55K | +5% | 610 |
| Pennsylvania | $55K | +4% | 760 |
| Minnesota | $54K | +3% | 220 |
| Florida | $51K | -2% | 1,070 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -2% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $51K | -3% | 830 |
| Iowa | $50K | -4% | 160 |
| Alabama | $49K | -7% | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -7% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -8% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -8% | 370 |
| Ohio | $48K | -8% | 430 |
| Maine | $48K | -8% | 50 |
| Georgia | $48K | -9% | 420 |
| Indiana | $48K | -9% | 380 |
| Texas | $48K | -9% | 1,810 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -10% | 320 |
| Idaho | $47K | -10% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -11% | 120 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -12% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -12% | 230 |
| Maryland | $45K | -14% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -14% | 90 |
| Oregon | $45K | -15% | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $44K | -17% | 170 |
| Arizona | $42K | -20% | 440 |
| Oklahoma | $42K | -21% | 180 |
| Nevada | $41K | -23% | 330 |
| Utah | $40K | -24% | 420 |
| Montana | $38K | -28% | 80 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -32% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a jewelers and precious stone and metal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 49.1% 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 $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is jewelers and precious stone and metal worker a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $54,990 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,210, and experienced jewelers and precious stone and metal workers can clear $81,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,625/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 49.1% 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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers 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 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers salary is worth about $53,084 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do jewelers and precious stone and metal workers 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.