Statewide pay Government data
Welders in Illinois earn a statewide median of $51,320 a year, 2% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #34 of 50 states and DC. About 16,260 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Illinois
See all states on the welders nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PeoriaILLINOIS · IL | $58,960 | $64,627 | 1,230 |
| DecaturILLINOIS · IL | $57,670 | $65,221 | 200 |
| ChicagoILLINOIS · IL | $52,650 | $50,823 | 9,320 |
| RockfordILLINOIS · IL | $50,200 | $54,474 | 870 |
| SpringfieldILLINOIS · IL | $49,860 | $53,760 | 100 |
| ChampaignILLINOIS · IL | $48,610 | $52,436 | 100 |
| KankakeeILLINOIS · IL | $47,460 | $49,235 | 230 |
| BloomingtonILLINOIS · IL | $47,180 | $50,440 | 70 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Illinois's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 40,300 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, welders have 43 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 50% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often welders deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Illinois Official source
The main state licensing office in Illinois is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Most trades (including general contractors and electricians) are licensed locally; plumbers are licensed by the state health department. It can point you to the right license for welders.
Official Illinois licensing site ↗
Requirements for welders vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in Illinois
All trades in Illinois.