Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries earn $128,780 at the median. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $124,317 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,011/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $129K actually covers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, month by month
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $106K. Rent runs $2,011/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.1% 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $100K | $108K |
| Peoria | $101K | $110K |
| Springfield | $108K | $117K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $102K | $110K |
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $167K | +57% | 6,470 |
| California | $160K | +51% | 31,370 |
| Connecticut | $156K | +48% | 4,610 |
| New York | $139K | +31% | 19,210 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +30% | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $137K | +30% | 11,450 |
| Delaware | $133K | +25% | 1,100 |
| Maryland | $132K | +24% | 7,200 |
| Oregon | $130K | +23% | 4,160 |
| Utah | $129K | +22% | 2,940 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +21% | 10,570 |
| Minnesota | $127K | +20% | 4,120 |
| Hawaii | $127K | +20% | 1,910 |
| Alaska | $126K | +19% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $120K | +13% | 1,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $119K | +12% | 14,460 |
| Wisconsin | $117K | +11% | 4,030 |
| Illinois | $113K | +7% | 14,850 |
| Nebraska | $111K | +4% | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $111K | +4% | 5,760 |
| Nevada | $109K | +3% | 2,490 |
| North Dakota | $108K | +2% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +2% | 2,290 |
| Virginia | $106K | +0% | 8,470 |
| Wyoming | $105K | -0% | 410 |
| Vermont | $105K | -0% | 1,000 |
| New Hampshire | $105K | -1% | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $104K | -2% | 3,310 |
| Michigan | $104K | -2% | 9,610 |
| Georgia | $103K | -2% | 7,530 |
| Maine | $103K | -3% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -3% | 5,000 |
| Idaho | $101K | -5% | 1,830 |
| Kansas | $101K | -5% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 7,120 |
| Kentucky | $100K | -6% | 4,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -6% | 12,480 |
| Indiana | $99K | -7% | 6,990 |
| Tennessee | $98K | -8% | 6,180 |
| Arizona | $97K | -8% | 5,270 |
| Alabama | $97K | -8% | 3,020 |
| Florida | $96K | -9% | 16,960 |
| Montana | $96K | -10% | 930 |
| Texas | $94K | -11% | 37,140 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -17% | 680 |
| Oklahoma | $87K | -18% | 4,320 |
| Arkansas | $86K | -18% | 2,760 |
| Louisiana | $83K | -21% | 5,080 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -21% | 11,220 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -22% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -24% | 1,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 26.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,011/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,041/month. At HUD’s $2,011/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education administrators, kindergarten through secondary a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $129K here vs. $106K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $124K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $128,780 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,680, and experienced education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries can clear $171,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,011/month, which eats 26.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary is worth about $124,317 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries 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.