Paycheck Atlas

Plant and System Operators, All Other salary in Chicago, IL

The median plant and system operators, all other in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $80,660 a year, 29% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $5,132 a month.

10th percentile
$73,600
25th percentile
$79,540
Median percentile
$80,660
75th percentile
$84,320
90th percentile
$84,320

Based on 160 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

$61,582 take-home a year
Gross pay$80,660
Federal income tax−$8,915
Social Security + Medicare−$6,170
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$3,993
Monthly take-home$5,132
Every two weeks$2,369

Does it go far here?

$77,861Median 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 plant and system operators, all other salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois