Paycheck Atlas

English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary salary in Chicago, IL

The median english language and literature teachers, postsecondary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $78,620 a year, about the same as the US median. After tax that is roughly $5,021 a month.

10th percentile
$31,200
25th percentile
$50,390
Median percentile
$78,620
75th percentile
$102,620
90th percentile
$128,590

Based on 1,850 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$60,247 take-home a year
Gross pay$78,620
Federal income tax−$8,466
Social Security + Medicare−$6,014
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$3,892
Monthly take-home$5,021
Every two weeks$2,317

Does it go far here?

$75,892Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
28%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,430 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Chicago, IL

JobMedian pay
Chief Executives$344,960
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$284,630
Nurse Anesthetists$265,880
Psychiatrists$258,750
Emergency Medicine Physicians$239,200
General Internal Medicine Physicians$226,060
Family Medicine Physicians$225,080

All english language and literature teachers, postsecondary salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois