Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in Illinois make a median of $331,920 a year, or about $159.58 an hour. The range runs from $133K at the entry level to $590K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $353,671 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 7.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $332K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About chief executives
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for chief executives, local pay runs about 55% higher than the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 7.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for chief executives at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $133K. Mid-career wages sit at $332K. Top earners bring in $590K or more, a $457K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in Illinois
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $345K | +4% | 3,610 |
| Springfield | $339K | +2% | 80 |
| Rockford | $323K | -3% | 90 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $311K | -6% | 70 |
| Peoria | $270K | -19% | 100 |
| Decatur | $212K | -36% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $332K, rent takes 7.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $133K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,932/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 55% above the national median — $332K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for chief executives?
Illinois pays $332K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +55%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $354K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in Illinois?
The median is $331,920 a year, that works out to about $160 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $133,170, and experienced chief executives can clear $589,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $332K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $18,175/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 7.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives 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 chief executives salary is worth about $353,671 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives 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.