Writers and Authors salary in Chicago, IL
The median writers and authors in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $75,940 a year, 1% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,875 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $43,440
- 25th percentile
- $49,230
- Median percentile
- $75,940
- 75th percentile
- $99,990
- 90th percentile
- $134,710
Based on 2,120 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
$58,495 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $75,940 |
| Federal income tax | −$7,877 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$5,809 |
| Illinois income tax (approx.) | −$3,759 |
| Monthly take-home | $4,875 |
| Every two weeks | $2,250 |
Does it go far here?
$73,305Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
29%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 |
All writers and authors salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois