Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle Schools in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $80,860 a year. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $78,058 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 34.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About career/technical education teachers, middle schools
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for career/technical education teachers, middle school, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for career/technical education teachers, middle schools in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $66K | $68K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $79K | $82K |
| St. Louis | $88K | $92K |
| Green Bay | $65K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103K | +59% | 720 |
| Rhode Island | $97K | +50% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $96K | +47% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $93K | +43% | N/A |
| Utah | $87K | +34% | N/A |
| Ohio | $87K | +33% | 590 |
| New York | $86K | +33% | 1,930 |
| Maryland | $84K | +29% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +25% | 160 |
| Illinois | $81K | +24% | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +20% | 690 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | +18% | 570 |
| Georgia | $73K | +12% | 560 |
| New Jersey | $68K | +5% | N/A |
| Virginia | $67K | +4% | 640 |
| Colorado | $66K | +2% | 470 |
| Iowa | $63K | -3% | N/A |
| Texas | $63K | -3% | 5,230 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -4% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -4% | 370 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -4% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -5% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -7% | 90 |
| Michigan | $61K | -7% | N/A |
| Florida | $59K | -10% | 610 |
| Kansas | $59K | -10% | 30 |
| Alabama | $58K | -10% | 640 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -13% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -15% | 270 |
| Indiana | $55K | -15% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -17% | 110 |
| Missouri | $53K | -19% | 240 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -20% | 760 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -28% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 34 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track career/technical education teachers, middle school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for career/technical education teachers, middle schools in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,352/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is career/technical education teachers, middle school a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $81K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, middle schools?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, middle schools make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $80,860 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,860, and experienced career/technical education teachers, middle schools can clear $117,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,106/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 34.9% 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 career/technical education teachers, middle school salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median career/technical education teachers, middle school salary is worth about $78,058 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do career/technical education teachers, middle schools 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.