Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes Salary
The median pay for a agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes in Illinois is $56,560/year ($27.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $60,266 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 37.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Illinois?
About agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes in Illinois runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $83K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $57K | +2% | 320 |
Compare to other states
Track agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athlete afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athlete a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $57K here vs. $83K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes?
Illinois pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $83K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes make in Illinois?
The median is $56,560 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes can clear $124,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,724/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 37.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes salary is worth about $60,266 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.