Paycheck Atlas

Recreational Therapists salary in Chicago, IL

The median recreational therapists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $54,460 a year, 12% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $3,604 a month.

10th percentile
$40,560
25th percentile
$49,700
Median percentile
$54,460
75th percentile
$63,450
90th percentile
$85,400

Based on 340 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

$43,243 take-home a year
Gross pay$54,460
Federal income tax−$4,355
Social Security + Medicare−$4,166
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$2,696
Monthly take-home$3,604
Every two weeks$1,663

Does it go far here?

$52,570Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
40%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 recreational therapists salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois