Chicago plumbers earn a BLS MSA median of $103,380/yr ($49.70/hr), about 3.4% above the Illinois statewide median and roughly 62% above the national figure, making Chicago one of the best-paying plumber markets in the country. UA Local 130 union scale drives the top of the range: the metro P75 is $122,540 and the P90 $127,200, while non-union service and residential work fills the lower half of the $53,960–$127,200 spread. → Full plumber career guide, career path, IDPH licence, and Chicago job placement →
GlobalCybers Verified Placement Data · last verified July 2026
BLS OEWS is sampled 1–2 years back from today, and it doesn't break out IDPH license level. Pick a level to see how published pay compares to actual verified placements made through GlobalCybers' Chicago plumber network.
All verified medians: GlobalCybers Chicago plumber placements, trailing 12 months, updated July 2026. Tap a level below for the full gap breakdown.
Where the gap comes from — Licensed Plumber (IDPH)
Data time lag +2.0% — OEWS publishes ~10 months late on a 3-yr sample; Local 130's negotiated scale stepped up since collection.
OT and premium-time excluded by OES +1.4% — Downtown high-rise schedule overtime at 1.5×–2× and on-call service premiums aren't in the BLS wage.
New-hire (switcher) premium +0.9% — BLS averages incumbents; IDPH-licensed plumbers switching contractors in a supply-tight market command more.
Verified-candidate selection +0.8% — IDPH-license-confirmed plumbers in our Chicago network skew toward union commercial and industrial work.
Licensed plumbers in Chicago run above an already national-leading BLS median, statewide IDPH licensing keeps supply tight while Local 130 scale sets the top of the range.
Methodology & Sources
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2026, SOC 47-2152, Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA. Verified (GlobalCybers): median base wage of IDPH-license-confirmed, signed-offer Chicago placements over the trailing 12 months (n=14) — a directional real-world data point, not a market-wide survey. Employer names mentioned on this page (e.g. in sector or FAQ copy) are illustrative examples of who hires in each market, not a claim of partnership. Full statewide methodology →
Full Data
Reading this page's sources: BLS OEWS is the official published wage, sampled 1–2 years back. GlobalCybers Verified (see below) is the highest-confidence figure — real, IDPH-confirmed, signed-offer placements. Market intelligence rows are directional signals from recruiter conversations and industry sources, not independently verified — treat them as a range, not a benchmark.
Chicago Sectors
Chicago-specific sectors. Union high-rise and industrial process piping at UA Local 130 scale is among the highest-paying plumbing work in the US.
Who's Hiring
How employer type affects total compensation, base rate, benefits value, and estimated total comp.
Employer names are illustrative examples of companies operating in this sector, not an exhaustive list or a claim of partnership with GlobalCybers.
Real Take-Home
Two real Chicago scenarios, non-union service plumber vs. UA Local 130 union journeyman. Illinois' flat 4.95% state income tax shown clearly in both.
Estimates only. Pre-tax deductions (401k, health premium) reduce taxable income further. Consult a tax professional.
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Related · Plumber
Chicago plumber pay, licensing, interview prep, and hiring — cross-linked so you can move from local salary data to the licence steps and local jobs in one place.