Office Clerks, General pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $72,910 or more. The middle half of office clerks, general in Chicago earn between $37,710 and $57,790.
- $33K10th
- $38K25th
- $46KMedian
- $58K75th
- $73K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $49,620 | $4,135 | $23.86 |
| Median | $46,330 | $3,861 | $22.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,710 | $3,142 | $18.13 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $57,790 | $4,816 | $27.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Office Clerks, General pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Office clerks, general in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($48,250) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($46,420). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $45,010.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $49,620 | $46,330 | $32,580 | $72,910 | 66,840 |
| Illinois | $48,250 | $45,730 | $31,560 | $68,490 | 95,980 |
| United States | $46,420 | $45,010 | $30,310 | $64,680 | 2,464,940 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Office Clerks, General salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $49,620, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $39,735 a year, or $3,311 a month and $1,528 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 | $40,591 | $3,383 |
| Working in IL | $39,735 | $3,311 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for office clerks, general? 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 $49,620 buys what about $47,898 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Office Clerks, General salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$49,620
- Springfield$48,850
- Champaign$47,850
- Decatur$47,280
- Bloomington$45,610
- Rockford$45,260
- Peoria$43,910
- Kankakee$43,440
Highest-paying cities for office clerks, general
Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($61,790).
- Boulder, CO$61,790
- San Jose, CA$61,400
- Santa Maria, CA$58,660
- Denver, CO$57,860
- San Francisco, CA$56,950
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Office Clerks, General salary in Chicago: questions
How much do office clerks, general make an hour in Chicago?
$23.86 an hour on average, and $22.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level office clerks, general salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,710, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the office clerks, general take-home pay in Chicago?
About $39,735 a year ($3,311 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $49,620.
Do office clerks, general earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. average for this job ($46,420).
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 43-9061; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 0.93, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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