SOC 47-5023 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · May 2025

How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $81,960. The 10th percentile is $64,020 and the 90th percentile is $107,980. Employment is 220.

Median annual wage

$81,960

10th percentile
$64,020
25th percentile
$67,820
Median
$81,960
75th percentile
$107,980
90th percentile
$107,980
Mean
$85,130

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

A nurse attending an elderly patient in a hospital
A nurse with a patient at a hospital centre in Birmingham. Wellcome Collection. Photograph by Wellcome Collection. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Percentile spread

For Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas, the published 10th percentile is $64,020 and the 90th percentile is $107,980. The difference is $43,960, which is 53.6% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $67,820 to the 75th at $107,980, covers $40,160.

The mean annual wage is $85,130, which sits above the median of $81,960. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is 36.2% higher than the national median of $60,190 for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas. In 2024 national prices the local median is $79,116, which is 31.4% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 3.6% higher than the Illinois median of $79,080.

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN covers more than one state. The state comparison uses Illinois, the primary state on the BLS area record.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is 103.595, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $81,960 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas at $79,116 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

4 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ranks 1st of 5 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

  • Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is 80 miles away, with a median of $61,390 and employment of 60. That median is 25.1% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $63,330, against $79,116 here.
  • Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN is 163 miles away, with a median of $62,710 and employment of 160. That median is 23.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $65,530, against $79,116 here.
  • Lansing-East Lansing, MI is 178 miles away, with a median of $63,440 and employment of 30. That median is 22.6% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $66,785, against $79,116 here.

Employment share

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas accounts for 0.00% of wage-and-salary employment in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (220 of 4,513,280). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (19,450 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.39 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.

Highest-paying jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices

Questions this page answers

How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $81,960. The 10th percentile is $64,020 and the 90th percentile is $107,980. Employment is 220.

How does that compare with the national median for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?

The local median is 36.2% higher than the national median of $60,190.

What is Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN after local prices?

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is 103.595, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $81,960 is $79,116. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.

How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN compare with nearby metros for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 80 miles away, at $61,390. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ranks 1st of 5 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.