Highest-Paying Trades in Illinois 2026

43 skilled trades tracked in Illinois metro areas. The top-paying trade is Elevator Mechanic at $141,380 median salary. Data from BLS OEWS (2024).

#	Trade	Median Salary	Cities	Avg Score
1	Elevator Mechanic	$141,380	1	71
2	Construction Manager	$118,830	1	75
3	Power Line Installer	$114,030	1	80
4	Electrical Power-Line Tech	$114,030	1	80
5	Heavy Equipment Operator	$101,200	1	69
6	Electrician	$99,540	1	81
7	Plumber	$98,890	1	74
8	Pipefitter	$98,890	1	74
9	Fire Sprinkler Fitter	$98,890	1	74
10	Steamfitter	$98,890	1	71
11	Sheet Metal Worker	$97,970	1	67
12	Ironworker	$93,190	1	66
13	Plasterer	$90,020	1	55
14	Aircraft Mechanic	$89,960	1	69
15	Mason (Bricklayer)	$86,330	1	55
16	Millwright	$83,180	1	67
17	Concrete Finisher	$82,190	1	61
18	Building Inspector	$78,110	1	58
19	Industrial Machinery Mechanic	$76,960	1	77
20	Carpenter	$76,510	1	61
21	HVAC Technician	$74,400	1	69
22	Refrigeration Mechanic	$74,400	1	67
23	Drywall Installer	$69,810	1	50
24	Roofer	$69,570	1	57
25	Floor Layer	$69,110	1	50
26	Telecommunications Tech	$67,310	1	57
27	Diesel Mechanic	$65,240	1	60
28	Painter (Construction)	$63,140	1	49
29	Tool and Die Maker	$61,580	1	43
30	Industrial Electrician	$60,420	1	67
31	Glazier	$59,990	1	59
32	Auto Mechanic	$58,340	1	51
33	Crane Operator	$57,740	1	55
34	Machinist	$57,470	1	45
35	Maintenance Mechanic	$56,940	1	55
36	Tile Setter	$53,430	1	42
37	Insulation Worker	$53,350	1	50
38	Environmental Engineering Tech	$51,830	1	55
39	Septic Tank Servicer	$51,060	1	44
40	Welder	$50,700	1	51
41	Structural Welder	$50,700	1	51
42	Underwater Welder	$50,700	1	49
43	Locksmith	$45,600	1	45

Skilled trade wage data for Illinois is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program.
, BLS OEWS (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions

Elevator Mechanic is the highest-paying skilled trade in Illinois with a median salary of $141,380 across 1 metro areas.

We track 43 skilled trades across metro areas in Illinois using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data.

The Trade Pay Score (0-100, A-F) rates each trade-city combination on median wage vs. household income (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), job demand (25%), and cost-of-living adjusted pay (20%).

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS

Trades ranked by median salary across metro areas in the state. Trade Pay Score: wage vs. household income (30%), 5-year growth (25%), job demand (25%), COL-adjusted pay (20%).

Best-Paying Trades Nationwide →All Trade Data for Illinois →

The this entity category groups every U.S. skilled-trade wage data entity sharing this attribute. The list above is the data; the paragraphs below explain what the grouping means against the broader the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey distribution and how to read the relative rankings within the category.

For readers using this category as a starting point, the per-entity detail pages linked from the table above carry the underlying the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data in full. The category-level view is the filter; the per-entity pages are the actual answer.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES, 2026.