Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$53,960
To
$74,300
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$103,380
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$74,300
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$122,540
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$96,430
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Plumber in Chicago
$74,300 to $122,540
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$103,380
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$74,300
To
$122,540
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$122,540
To
$127,200
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare plumber offers in Chicago against $53,960 to $74,300.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare plumber offers in Chicago against $74,300 to $122,540.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare plumber offers in Chicago against $122,540 to $127,200.
How Chicago Salaries Compare With Other Cities for This Role
Chicago is a BLS metro estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, so candidates can compare local pay with major hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$96,430
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$96,250
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$92,810
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$92,380
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$90,820
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$80,230
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$75,090
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$71,910
Austin
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
$63,760
Dallas
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$62,260
How Plumber Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares plumber pay in Chicago with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$192,460
Branch Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
CFO
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Controller
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Finance Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Attorney
Lawyers, SOC 23-1011
$187,420
Plumber
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152
$96,430
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for plumbers in Chicago is $103,380. The middle market range runs from $74,300 at the 25th percentile to $122,540 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $53,960to $127,200.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,960 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $74,300 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $103,380 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $122,540 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $127,200 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Plumber to BLS occupation Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152, as the public wage source for Plumber.
- BLS area
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Employment estimate
- 12,750
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median plumber salary in Chicago?
The median annual salary for plumbers in Chicago is $103,380, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters.
How much can fresher plumber candidates expect in Chicago?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For plumbers in Chicago, that range is $53,960 to $74,300. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate plumber salary range in Chicago?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For plumbers in Chicago, that range is $74,300 to $122,540.
What do senior plumber candidates earn in Chicago?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For plumbers in Chicago, that range is $122,540 to $127,200.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters instead of only Plumber?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Plumber to Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, SOC 47-2152, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
Does Chicago mean city limits or a metro area?
Chicago is displayed as a candidate-friendly city label, but the underlying wage estimate is for the BLS metro area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, not strict city limits.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 19 Apr 2026|Last updated: 16 Jun 2026
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