Paycheck Atlas

Lawyers salary in Chicago, IL

The median lawyers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $165,660 a year, 4% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $9,691 a month.

10th percentile
$87,070
25th percentile
$106,980
Median percentile
$165,660
75th percentile
$232,270
90th percentile
$331,140

Based on 28,320 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

$116,294 take-home a year
Gross pay$165,660
Federal income tax−$28,492
Social Security + Medicare−$12,673
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$8,200
Monthly take-home$9,691
Every two weeks$4,473

Does it go far here?

$159,911Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
15%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 lawyers salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois