Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metro

BLS metro-level wage data places Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at a median of $70,370 per year ($33.83/hr), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared with the national median of $56,460, the metro estimate is +25% above. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. Approximately 1,010 floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles are employed across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA in SOC 47-2042.

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pay distribution spans from $46,330 at the 10th percentile to $114,630 at the 90th, a 2.5× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $52,710 and the 75th at $92,070, so half of Chicago-Naperville-Elgin-based floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide IL estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.