Technical Writers salary in Chicago, IL
The median technical writers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $89,960 a year, about the same as the US median. After tax that is roughly $5,639 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $59,960
- 25th percentile
- $73,150
- Median percentile
- $89,960
- 75th percentile
- $108,890
- 90th percentile
- $135,770
Based on 790 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
$67,664 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $89,960 |
| Federal income tax | −$10,961 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$6,882 |
| Illinois income tax (approx.) | −$4,453 |
| Monthly take-home | $5,639 |
| Every two weeks | $2,602 |
Does it go far here?
$86,838Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
25%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 |