Choreographers Salary
Choreographers in Illinois make a median of $34,560 a year, or about $16.61 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $36,825 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 59.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Illinois. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $35K get you in Illinois?
About choreographers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for choreographers in Illinois runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 60.1% 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 choreographerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level choreographers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $5K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track choreographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a choreographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 60.1% 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 $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for choreographers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new choreographers 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 choreographer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $35K here vs. $55K 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 choreographers?
Illinois pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do choreographers make in Illinois?
The median is $34,560 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced choreographers can clear $35,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,341/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 60.1% 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 choreographers 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 choreographers salary is worth about $36,825 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do choreographers 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.