Photographers salary in Chicago, IL
The median photographers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $36,810 a year, 18% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,495 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $31,200
- 25th percentile
- $34,520
- Median percentile
- $36,810
- 75th percentile
- $59,020
- 90th percentile
- $100,080
Based on 1,590 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
$29,935 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $36,810 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,237 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$2,816 |
| Illinois income tax (approx.) | −$1,822 |
| Monthly take-home | $2,495 |
| Every two weeks | $1,151 |
Does it go far here?
$35,533Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
57%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,430 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in Chicago, IL
| Job | Median 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 |