Trade Salaries.

Carpenter vs Plumber / Pipefitter pay in Chicago

Side-by-side hourly pay on one shared scale — public baselines plus anonymous worker reports.

The takeaway

Plumber / Pipefitters earn $3.89/hr more than carpenters in Chicago

$30.19/hr vs $26.30/hr — about $8,091/year apart working full-time.

Carpenter

Public data

$26.30/hr

$20.27Median $26.30/hr$33.71

P25

$20.27

Median

$26.30

P75

$33.71

Public baseline · Full Chicago details

$30.19/hr

$23.15Median $30.19/hr$39.48

P25

$23.15

Median

$30.19

P75

$39.48

Public baseline · Full Chicago details

Common questions

Which pays more in Chicago — carpenter or plumber / pipefitter?

Plumber / Pipefitters earn more in Chicago: $30.19/hr vs $26.30/hr for carpenters, a gap of $3.89/hr (about $8,091/year full-time).

How big is the pay gap between carpenters and plumber / pipefitter in Chicago?

About $3.89/hr — roughly $8,091 per year working full-time. Gaps vary with experience, union status, and employer; anonymous worker reports refine these numbers over time.

Where does this pay data come from?

Public baselines come from the BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; community figures come from anonymous worker pay reports. Pages update as workers share.

Compare more

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics · bls.gov/oes · Community figures from anonymous worker reports.