What pays what here
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at all experience levels (BLS OEWS, May 2025). BLS's count for helpers to electricians is only 60 jobs, too small to trust, so that row is out.
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| Occupation | Jobs in metro | 10th percentile | Median here | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand laborers and material movers | 157,920 | $15.32 | $19.50 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and order fillers | 79,850 | $16.02 | $18.48 | $17.95 |
| Forklift and industrial truck operators | 22,320 | $18.37 | $23.05 | $22.32 |
| Light truck drivers | 34,680 | $16.72 | $23.05 | $21.57 |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 62,210 | $19.86 | $29.95 | $28.19 |
| Retail salespersons | 96,950 | $15.00 | $17.22 | $17.03 |
| Cashiers | 99,240 | $15.00 | $16.83 | $15.81 |
| Customer service representatives | 75,240 | $16.58 | $22.65 | $21.53 |
| Home health and personal care aides | 108,520 | $16.84 | $18.36 | $17.21 |
| Nursing assistants | 45,850 | $18.74 | $22.57 | $20.32 |
| Medical assistants | 15,640 | $17.60 | $22.73 | $21.97 |
| Construction laborers | 26,690 | $18.80 | $29.27 | $22.66 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 25,160 | $16.44 | $21.77 | $18.82 |
| Electricians | 17,720 | $23.99 | $49.21 | $30.38 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 7,210 | $22.82 | $37.48 | $29.33 |
Chicago tops the U.S. median in every row shown. The trades stand out: electricians at $49.21 and construction laborers at $29.27, against $30.38 and $22.66 nationally. Most people reach those rates over years. Read electrician apprenticeship first. Other metros: pay benchmarks.
Local pay rules: your address decides your floor
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| Where you work | Minimum | Tipped | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Chicago, employers with 4 or more workers | $17.05 | $12.96 | July 1, 2027; rate not posted yet |
| Suburban Cook County, unless your town opted out | $15.40 | $9.25 | Not posted |
| Rest of Illinois | $15.00 | $9.00 | None listed for January 2027 |
City of Chicago BACP and Cook County Commission on Human Rights, rates as of July 1, 2026; U.S. DOL tables; minimum wage by state.
A suburban job at $15.00 instead of a city job at $17.05 costs $82 a week at 40 hours, $600 against $682. The metro's Indiana side follows Indiana law. Illinois requires payday at least twice a month for most hourly staff (U.S. DOL table, revised January 1, 2023; pay frequency laws).
Local rights: strong, if you know who to call
Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave (Chicago). If you work 80 hours in any 120 days, you earn 1 hour of paid leave and 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, starting the day after you begin (City of Chicago, read October 31, 2026). Each caps at 40 hours in 12 months (CHI 311). Full time, that is 35 weeks to bank both.
Outside Chicago. The state's law gives 1 hour per 40 worked, up to 40 hours a year, but it does not apply in Chicago or Cook County, which have their own ordinances (Illinois DOL FAQ, read October 31, 2026). Cook County's office is 312-603-1100.
Fair Workweek (Chicago). You are covered if you work in building services, healthcare, hotels, manufacturing, restaurants, retail or warehouse services, earn up to $33.85 an hour, and your employer has at least 100 workers worldwide (250 workers and 30 locations for a restaurant). You get advance schedule notice, the right to refuse added hours, and the right to decline work less than 10 hours after your last shift. Any change within 14 days brings 1 hour of Predictability Pay (City of Chicago, read October 31, 2026).
Meals and rest. At least 20 minutes for 7.5 hours of work, a second break on a 12-hour shift, and 24 hours off in every 7 days. Work through a meal and you must be paid (Illinois DOL). Details: break laws.
Your record. Illinois employers generally must wait until you qualify and get an interview, or until an offer, to ask (820 ILCS 75; ban the box laws).
Who to call. For city wage, leave or schedule problems, dial 311 or call the Office of Labor Standards, (312) 744-2211. Retaliation is prohibited. For state issues: Illinois DOL, 312-793-2800, with a 1-year limit on wage claims (unpaid wages).
Free local help
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership runs the American Job Center network. It reports $20.2 million invested in training accounts in Program Year 2025. Full-service centers:
- Pilsen: 1700 W. 18th St., Chicago 60608, 855-994-8300. Run by National Able, it says it can help with resumes and "cover the cost of training" for ages 16 to 60 and older.
- The King Center: 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago 60653
Smaller centers operate at Daley, Kennedy-King, Olive-Harvey and Truman colleges. Staff answer the Partnership's online form in 2 to 3 business days (read October 31, 2026). Training funds have eligibility rules. Read free job help, and pay no school before approval.
Getting there on CTA
CTA's 30-Day Pass costs $75, also valid on Pace. Without it, an 'L' ride is $2.50 and a bus ride $2.25, with up to 2 free transfers in 2 hours (CTA fare chart, effective February 20, 2023, read October 31, 2026).
For 22 workdays, 44 'L' rides cost $110, so the pass saves $35. It equals 3.8 hours of pay at $19.50.
On SNAP? NITA's Access Program, which started on Metra, expanded in 2026 to give SNAP and FRESH households reduced fares on CTA, Metra and Pace. Apply at GetAccess.org. CTA's reduced rate is $1.25 an 'L' ride, so 44 rides cost $55. Reduced 30-Day Passes are $35, but CTA's chart limits that to NITA Reduced Fare permits, which are for older adults and people with disabilities. Ask NITA if your Access permit counts, and whether the program continues past December 31, 2026, the end date in a NITA notice from December 2025.
To Pilsen: the Pink Line's 18th station is at 1710 W. 18th St., next to the center's address. CTA Bus 18 also stops there (CTA, read October 31, 2026).
Who employs people here
September is preliminary (BLS Economy at a Glance, extracted October 30, 2026). Unemployment was 4.4%.
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| Sector | Jobs, September 2026 | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 4,768,500 | -0.1% |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 930,100 | -0.9% |
| Professional and business services | 814,400 | +0.1% |
| Education and health services | 805,600 | +0.5% |
| Government | 563,500 | +0.9% |
| Leisure and hospitality | 481,500 | +0.8% |
| Manufacturing | 409,500 | +1.3% |
| Construction | 195,600 | +1.5% |
Trade and transportation is the largest group, but it shrank 0.9%. Manufacturing, at 409,500 jobs, grew 1.3%. O'Hare's cargo operations alone support about 5,000 airport jobs (City of Chicago, O'Hare financial report for 2025, June 30, 2026).
Job fairs and hiring events
JobPin's Chicago job fair hub has no confirmed upcoming event today. The Partnership's calendar has two (read October 31, 2026):
- Daley College Fall Career Fair: Wednesday, November 4, 10 AM to 1 PM, 7500 S. Pulaski Rd. More than 50 employers promised; reserve a spot.
- Job Fair at Bethel Family Resource Center: Wednesday, December 9, 10 AM to 1 PM, 1250 Portland Ave., Chicago Heights. Bring resumes.
A plan for this week
- Monday, November 2: reserve your Daley College spot. On SNAP? Apply at GetAccess.org.
- Tuesday: take the Pink Line to 18th. At the Pilsen center, ask, "Can you review my resume, and do I qualify for a training account?" Call 855-994-8300 first.
- Wednesday: go to Daley College at 10 AM with printed resumes.
- Thursday: apply to five jobs. Check whether each address is in Chicago, so you know if $17.05 and the 35-hour leave rule apply.
- Friday: save your schedule and pay stub. If a shift changed within 14 days, ask about Predictability Pay, or dial 311.
Current openings
Next steps on JobPin: warehouse jobs in Chicago, retail jobs in Chicago and customer service jobs in Chicago.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Under $17.05 inside Chicago is a warning sign, unless the job is tipped or the employer has fewer than 4 workers. Follow JobPin's source link, confirm the street address, and apply on the employer's own site. How we check: how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.