Carpenters salary in Chicago, IL

Median pay for carpenters in Chicago, IL: $73,860/yr

Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $38,390 – $117,550 · about 18,890 employed locally

Above the typical metro median ($49,990) by +$23,870 (+48%).

What it's really worth in Chicago

With Chicago's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $73,860 has the buying power of about $72,068 in an average-cost US metro.

Local context: median household income $85,087 · median home $353,998 · median rent $2,266/mo.

Full Chicago cost of living & taxes →

How Chicago ranks for this job

On raw pay, Chicago, IL is 6th of the 187 metros we hold carpenters wages for. Once Chicago's cost of living is applied, it ranks 5th.

Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Chicago sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.

What that salary buys in Chicago

A median home in Chicago, IL costs $353,998 — about 4.8× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.

Median rent of $2,266/mo works out at 37% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.

Where carpenters earn more

Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Chicago.

Metro	Median pay	vs Chicago	Rent vs Chicago
Honolulu, HI	$90,030	+22%	1.3×
Santa Rosa, CA	$80,260	+9%	1.2×
San Francisco, CA	$79,730	+8%	1.4×
San Jose, CA	$75,600	+2%	1.6×

Same job elsewhere in IL

Metro	Median pay	vs Chicago	Rent vs Chicago
Rockford, IL	$72,800	−1%	0.6×
Peoria, IL	$65,060	−12%	0.5×

Staying in IL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.

Who hires carpenters around Chicago

Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.

• U.S. Federal Government (IL) · Government
• City of Chicago · Government

Other jobs in Chicago