Illinois Electrician Pay by Trade
Updated 2026-10-29 · 1 trade with 5+ disclosed-pay postings
The Illinois electrician labor market
Illinois is a high-rate, high-union-density electrician market dominated by Chicago and lifted by state prevailing wage. Chicagoland's commercial towers, hospital systems, O'Hare expansion work, and university construction provide deep year-round volume, all running substantially through IBEW Local 134 — one of the largest and highest-scale electrical locals in the country — whose rates set the regional ceiling. The collar counties add warehouse and data center construction along the I-88 and I-55 corridors, where hyperscale developers target the Chicago market for its fiber density and power. Downstate, the market shifts industrial: ADM and food processing in Decatur, John Deere in the Quad Cities and Peoria, refineries around Joliet and Wood River, and a growing EV-battery footprint (Gotion's Manteno plant) sustain maintenance and instrumentation electricians. Licensing is municipal — Chicago's supervising-electrician regime is famously strict, with no single statewide journeyman ticket — which segments mobility but protects organized rates in the city. Illinois prevailing wage covers virtually all public work and is among the strongest statutes in the nation, making school, infrastructure, and municipal projects premium assignments. Key locals beyond 134 include Local 9 (Chicago systems/outside), Local 601 (Champaign/Urbana), Local 193 (Springfield), Local 146 (Decatur/Peoria), and Local 364 (Rockford). The workforce story is replacement demand: retirements in the union pipeline outpace apprentice graduations, contractors report chronic journeyman shortages, and the data center plus battery-plant wave is arriving on top of already-full order books. For electricians, Chicago offers top-decile rates with cost-of-living pressure; downstate industrial tickets offer the best rate-to-cost ratio in the Midwest.
| Trade | Median ($/hr) | Middle 50% ($/hr) | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Facilities Technician | $40 | $40–$40 | 5 |
Medians come from active postings with disclosed pay; each trade page compares them against BLS OES and IBEW scales. How we calculate pay →
Top employers in Illinois
Frequently asked questions
What does an electrician make in Illinois?
Based on 5 disclosed-pay postings tracked by ElectricianDB, the median hourly pay for critical facilities technician work in Illinois is $40.00/hr. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a statewide electrician median of $47.87/hr.
Where are the highest-paying electrician jobs in Illinois?
The strongest recent postings cluster around Northlake, Elk Grove Village. Top-end rates on active postings run above the $40.00/hr median — see the highest-paying openings listed on this page for current examples.
Which employers pay electricians the most in Illinois?
Among employers with repeated postings in Illinois, Aligned Data Centers show the highest average disclosed minimums. Averages reflect posted ranges, not verified take-home pay.
Do you need a Illinois electrician license to work there?
Most states require a license for unsupervised electrical work, and requirements vary by state and municipality — see our step-by-step licensing pathway for Illinois for the exact hours, exam, and fees.
What's the prevailing wage for electricians in Illinois?
Prevailing-wage coverage depends on federal and state funding rules that differ by project and jurisdiction — see Illinois prevailing wage rates for the current determinations.
How many electrician jobs are posted in Illinois right now?
ElectricianDB is currently tracking 5 disclosed-pay critical facilities technician postings in Illinois. Counts change as contractors post and fill roles.