Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary
The median pay for a shoe and leather workers and repairers in Illinois is $43,730/year ($21.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $46,596 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 47.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Illinois. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $44K get you in Illinois?
About shoe and leather workers and repairers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for shoe and leather workers and repairers, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 48.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level shoe and leather workers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track shoe and leather workers and repairers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a shoe and leather workers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 48.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shoe and leather workers and repairers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shoe and leather workers and repairers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shoe and leather workers and repairer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $44K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for shoe and leather workers and repairers?
Illinois pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do shoe and leather workers and repairers make in Illinois?
The median is $43,730 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced shoe and leather workers and repairers can clear $58,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,918/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 48.2% 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 shoe and leather workers and repairers 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 shoe and leather workers and repairers salary is worth about $46,596 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shoe and leather workers and repairers 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.