Accountants and Auditors pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,530 a year or less, while the top 10% make $134,100 or more. The middle half of accountants and auditors in Chicago earn between $72,280 and $103,120.
- $60K10th
- $72K25th
- $82KMedian
- $103K75th
- $134K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $91,990 | $7,666 | $44.23 |
| Median | $82,360 | $6,863 | $39.60 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $72,280 | $6,023 | $34.75 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,120 | $8,593 | $49.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Accountants and Auditors pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Accountants and auditors in Chicago earn 3% more than the Illinois average ($88,910) and about the same as the U.S. average ($94,750). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $83,680.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $91,990 | $82,360 | $59,530 | $134,100 | 41,360 |
| Illinois | $88,910 | $80,230 | $54,510 | $131,990 | 54,930 |
| United States | $94,750 | $83,680 | $56,020 | $144,090 | 1,449,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Accountants and Auditors salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $91,990, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $69,133 a year, or $5,761 a month and $2,659 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $70,815 | $5,901 |
| Working in IL | $69,133 | $5,761 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for accountants and auditors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $91,990 buys what about $88,798 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Accountants and Auditors salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($93,010).
- Springfield$93,010
- Chicago$91,990
- Peoria$88,350
- Decatur$80,960
- Bloomington$80,240
- Rockford$79,430
- Kankakee$76,180
- Champaign$76,020
Highest-paying cities for accountants and auditors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($128,520).
- San Jose, CA$128,520
- San Francisco, CA$120,780
- New York, NY$119,280
- Washington, DC$113,640
- Midland, TX$111,820
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Accountants and Auditors salary in Chicago: questions
How much do accountants and auditors make an hour in Chicago?
$44.22 an hour on average, and $39.60 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level accountants and auditors salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,530 a year and the 25th percentile is $72,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the accountants and auditors take-home pay in Chicago?
About $69,133 a year ($5,761 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $91,990.
Do accountants and auditors earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($94,750).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-2011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.98, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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