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General Contractor salary in Illinois
The middle half of general contractors in Illinois earned $39.69 to $59.84 an hour in May 2025, and the top tenth $63.75 or more.1 The median is 32% above the US median.2
BLS has no general contractor occupation. These figures are for first-line supervisors of construction trades (SOC 47-1011); construction managers (SOC 11-9021) in Illinois earned a median $52.48 an hour ($109,160 a year). OEWS counts employees only, so self-employed contractors are not included.
- 10th
- $30.05
- 25th
- $39.69
- Median
- $50.84
- 75th
- $59.84
- 90th
- $63.75
- 10th
- $62,500
- 25th
- $82,550
- Median
- $105,750
- 75th
- $124,460
- 90th
- $132,590
Which Illinois cities pay general contractors the most?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has the highest median of the 8 metro areas below, $53.49 an hour; Decatur has the lowest, $36.25.1
- Chicago–Naperville$53.49
- Rockford$49.11
- Kankakee$48.39
- Peoria$47.44
- Springfield$46.70
- Champaign–Urbana$46.61
- Bloomington$45.23
- Decatur$36.25
Do general contractors make $100,000 a year in Illinois?
More than half do. The median is $105,750 a year.1
How much do new general contractors make in Illinois?
The lowest-paid tenth of general contractors in Illinois earned $30.05 an hour or less ($62,500 a year), and the lowest quarter earned $39.69 or less.1 OEWS does not report apprentice pay separately.
Are general contractors in demand in Illinois?
Projections Central expects Illinois to go from 20,670 general contractor jobs in 2024 to 21,920 in 2034, a change of 6%, with about 1,690 openings a year.3 The US projection is 5.3%.
| Area | Jobs 2024 | Jobs 2034 | Change | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 20,670 | 21,920 | 6% | 1,690 |
| United States | 921,600 | 970,600 | 5.3% | 74,400 |
How does general contractor pay compare with other trades in Illinois?
General contractors have the highest median pay of the five trades on this site in Illinois, $50.84 an hour. Plumbers are next at $48.05.1
| Trade | Median hourly | Median annual | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractors | $50.84 | $105,750 | 19,340 |
| Plumbers | $48.05 | $99,950 | 16,750 |
| Electricians | $47.87 | $99,560 | 23,120 |
| Roofers | $37.45 | $77,900 | 5,300 |
| HVAC Technicians | $37.21 | $77,410 | 9,740 |
Where to train in Illinois
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Illinois, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- BLS OEWS national estimates: First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011), May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)