Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Los Angeles vs Chicago
Skilled-trade workers in Los Angeles earn an average median wage of $74,460 versus $77,019 in Chicago, per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. After adjusting for cost of living, Chicago delivers $71,980 in U.S.-average purchasing power versus $44,855 for Los Angeles.
Nominal Pay vs Real Pay
On nominal pay, Chicago runs ahead — $77,019 versus $74,460, a gap of $2,559. Whether that gap survives a cost-of-living adjustment is the key question, and it usually does not survive in coastal-versus-interior comparisons.
Cost of living diverges meaningfully — Los Angeles at index 166 versus Chicago at 107. Los Angeles is the more expensive metro by 59 index points, which means a worker in Los Angeles needs roughly that much more in nominal pay just to match the purchasing power of a worker in Chicago.
Once cost of living is factored in, Chicago delivers $27,125 more in real purchasing power than Los Angeles. That is a substantial gap on a per-year basis and compounds over a career; for a worker comparing offers, it is often the deciding number.
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Trade-by-Trade Comparison
| Trade | Los Angeles | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator Mechanic | $136,920 | $141,380 | -$4,460 |
| Construction Manager | $128,730 | $118,830 | +$9,900 |
| Power Line Installer | $127,810 | $114,030 | +$13,780 |
| Electrical Power-Line Tech | $127,810 | $114,030 | +$13,780 |
| Building Inspector | $103,480 | $78,110 | +$25,370 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $93,220 | $101,200 | -$7,980 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | $85,550 | $89,960 | -$4,410 |
| Millwright | $84,010 | $83,180 | +$830 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $78,810 | $61,580 | +$17,230 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $78,560 | $97,970 | -$19,410 |
| Electrician | $76,120 | $99,540 | -$23,420 |
| Environmental Engineering Tech | $75,250 | $51,830 | +$23,420 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $74,490 | $65,240 | +$9,250 |
| Telecommunications Tech | $74,080 | $67,310 | +$6,770 |
| Carpenter | $73,840 | $76,510 | -$2,670 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $72,120 | $76,960 | -$4,840 |
| Industrial Electrician | $67,320 | $60,420 | +$6,900 |
| Concrete Finisher | $65,430 | $82,190 | -$16,760 |
| Glazier | $65,320 | $59,990 | +$5,330 |
| Plumber | $65,110 | $98,890 | -$33,780 |
| Pipefitter | $65,110 | $98,890 | -$33,780 |
| Fire Sprinkler Fitter | $65,110 | $98,890 | -$33,780 |
| Steamfitter | $65,110 | $98,890 | -$33,780 |
| HVAC Technician | $64,820 | $74,400 | -$9,580 |
| Refrigeration Mechanic | $64,820 | $74,400 | -$9,580 |
| Ironworker | $64,480 | $93,190 | -$28,710 |
| Drywall Installer | $64,170 | $69,810 | -$5,640 |
| Roofer | $62,860 | $69,570 | -$6,710 |
| Auto Mechanic | $62,820 | $58,340 | +$4,480 |
| Crane Operator | $61,780 | $57,740 | +$4,040 |
| Locksmith | $61,310 | $45,600 | +$15,710 |
| Mason (Bricklayer) | $60,500 | $86,330 | -$25,830 |
| Floor Layer | $60,420 | $69,110 | -$8,690 |
| Plasterer | $59,840 | $90,020 | -$30,180 |
| Welder | $58,200 | $50,700 | +$7,500 |
| Structural Welder | $58,200 | $50,700 | +$7,500 |
| Underwater Welder | $58,200 | $50,700 | +$7,500 |
| Painter (Construction) | $58,040 | $63,140 | -$5,100 |
| Tile Setter | $55,210 | $53,430 | +$1,780 |
| Septic Tank Servicer | $52,330 | $51,060 | +$1,270 |
| Maintenance Mechanic | $52,290 | $56,940 | -$4,650 |
| Machinist | $50,610 | $57,470 | -$6,860 |
| Insulation Worker | $42,990 | $53,350 | -$10,360 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median, drawn from the 2024 release at bls.gov/oes. The COL-Adjusted column uses each metro's cost-of-living index to translate nominal pay into U.S.-average purchasing power. The Avg Trade Pay Score is the average of the per-trade composites for that metro — a 0-100 grade weighted on raw pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%). Read the full methodology.
Career outlook data — projected employment growth through 2032 by trade — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship listings for both Los Angeles and Chicago are maintained at the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov registry. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do trade workers earn more in Los Angeles or Chicago?
On nominal pay, Chicago earns more — $77,019 versus $74,460. After cost of living, Chicago delivers stronger real purchasing power at $71,980 versus $44,855.
What is the cost-of-living difference between Los Angeles and Chicago?
Los Angeles carries a cost-of-living index of 166; Chicago runs at 107. The 59-point difference means a worker needs roughly that much more nominal pay in the higher-cost metro just to match the purchasing power of the lower-cost metro.
Which metro has more skilled-trade jobs tracked?
Los Angeles tracks 47 trades with available BLS OEWS data; Chicago tracks 43. Both readings come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys hundreds of thousands of employers per release.
How are these wages calculated?
Every wage figure is the median (50th percentile) annual salary for that trade in that metro from the 2024 BLS OEWS release. The cost-of-living-adjusted column uses each metro's COL index to convert nominal pay into U.S.-average purchasing power. Read the full BLS OEWS methodology at https://www.bls.gov/oes/ for survey design and percentile computation detail.
Where can I find apprenticeships in either metro?
Registered apprenticeship programs for both metros are listed on the U.S. Department of Labor's site at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/, which lets you filter by city and trade. Most skilled trades require 3-5 years of registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay.
Skilled-trade workers in Los Angeles earn an average median wage of $74,460 versus $77,019 in Chicago, per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. After adjusting for cost of living, Chicago delivers $71,980 in U.S.-average purchasing power versus $44,855 for Los Angeles.
Comparing entity A and entity B on U.S. skilled-trade wage data requires lining up the underlying the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data side by side. The table above runs the comparison on the canonical fields; the narrative below identifies the factor or factors that drive the most meaningful difference between the two.
Practical use of the comparison: read the data above, then drill into the individual entity A and entity B detail pages for the underlying breakdown. A pairwise comparison answers the relative question; the per-entity pages answer the absolute question.