Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Illinois | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $51,320 | $53,934 | -5% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.67 | $25.93 | -5% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $51,320.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in Illinois is $51,320, or about $24.67 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. Illinois is -5% below the national median.
Entry-level welders in Illinois typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 16,260 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $51,320, Illinois offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 489 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 35% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $123,980, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators at $115,780, Power Plant Operators at $104,440 — all figures are median annual wages for Illinois.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, welders rank 489 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 35% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Illinois | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $123,980 | $410 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $115,780 | $1,680 |
| Power Plant Operators | $104,440 | $1,160 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $102,890 | $1,070 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $101,470 | $330 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $97,810 | $530 |
Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 747 occupations in Illinois.