How to Become a Floor Installer in Illinois (2026)

Illinois employs about 1,330 floor installers earning a median $69,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most floor installers train through a trade school program or a registered apprenticeship before entering the field in Illinois.

Key Facts

  • Median wage (Illinois): $69,880/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Employed in Illinois: 1,330 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Location quotient: 1.44x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Projected growth: 9.5% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

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Compare Floor Installer Schools in Illinois

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
149.2$5,154 - $15,370$53,36938%Yes*169 mi
247.6Contact school for pricing$49,69830%Yes*379 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Illinois employs approximately 1,330 floor installers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $69,880 1. The state’s concentration of floor installer jobs is 1.44x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, floor installer employment is projected to grow 9.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 2,700 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Floor Installer in Illinois, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
  • Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
  • Median wage (Illinois): $69,880 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Floor Installer in Illinois

How to become a Floor Installer in Illinois? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for floor installers in Illinois.

How long does it take? Most paths into the floor installer field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

What do floor installers earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for floor installers in Illinois is $69,880 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $43,960 and experienced professionals can earn $114,190 or more 1.

How to Become a Floor Installer in Illinois

  1. Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Illinois training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
  2. Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in Illinois that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
  3. Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
  4. Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to floor installers in Illinois before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Floor Installer Apprenticeship Information in Illinois

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Illinois’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Illinois Department of Employment Services - Registered Apprenticeship 3.

Contact Information:

  • Office: BEST, Inc
  • Address: 815 N. Orlando Smith Ave., Oglesby, IL 61348
  • Phone: (815) 224-0375
  • Email: [email protected]

Floor Installer Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)
Experienced
(90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin1,010$70,370$75,670$46,330$114,630
St. Louis410$71,730$64,960$38,260$87,140
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island40$51,050$52,430$35,360$62,400
Rockford40$49,980$59,340$31,200$82,920

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for floor installers in Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 1,330 floor installers 1. Nationally, floor installer employment is projected to grow 9.5% from 2024 to 2034 2.

What training programs are available in Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois. You can also contact the Illinois Department of Employment Services - Registered Apprenticeship for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do floor installers earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for floor installers in Illinois is $69,880, which is $15,540 above the national median of $54,340 according to BLS data 1.

In Illinois

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References


  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Illinois Department of Employment Services - Registered Apprenticeship: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)