Education Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, education teachers, postsecondaries earn $61,350 at the median. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $59,224 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 44.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K 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 education teachers, postsecondaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Pay for education teachers, postsecondary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for education teachers, postsecondarys.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $63K | $67K |
| Terre Haute | $66K | $75K |
| Kenosha | $74K | $73K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $75K | $77K |
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 teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Education Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $112K | +48% | 3,100 |
| Louisiana | $84K | +11% | 460 |
| New York | $82K | +9% | 5,430 |
| District of Columbia | $81K | +7% | 230 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +7% | 900 |
| Rhode Island | $80K | +6% | 190 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +6% | 2,050 |
| Michigan | $80K | +6% | 1,140 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +5% | 950 |
| Nebraska | $79K | +5% | 600 |
| Maryland | $79K | +5% | 870 |
| Arizona | $79K | +4% | 1,590 |
| Vermont | $78K | +4% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +3% | 2,580 |
| North Dakota | $78K | +3% | 230 |
| Utah | $77K | +2% | 330 |
| Virginia | $77K | +2% | 1,630 |
| Maine | $77K | +2% | 190 |
| Washington | $75K | -0% | 1,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $75K | -1% | 3,390 |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -1% | 1,540 |
| Arkansas | $75K | -1% | 250 |
| Nevada | $74K | -1% | 310 |
| Oregon | $74K | -2% | 1,240 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -4% | 950 |
| Montana | $70K | -7% | 130 |
| North Carolina | $70K | -7% | 2,130 |
| Texas | $68K | -9% | 6,400 |
| Colorado | $67K | -11% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $67K | -11% | 1,270 |
| Wyoming | $66K | -12% | 80 |
| Indiana | $66K | -12% | 1,830 |
| Missouri | $66K | -13% | 1,140 |
| Idaho | $66K | -13% | 170 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -14% | 290 |
| Alabama | $64K | -15% | 840 |
| Florida | $64K | -16% | 1,290 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -16% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -16% | 320 |
| Kansas | $63K | -16% | 590 |
| Georgia | $63K | -17% | 1,750 |
| Ohio | $62K | -17% | 2,120 |
| Iowa | $62K | -18% | 690 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -18% | 430 |
| Illinois | $62K | -18% | 3,930 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -18% | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -19% | 560 |
| Hawaii | $50K | -34% | 460 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -35% | 630 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track education teachers, postsecondary 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 education teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 44.2% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for education teachers, postsecondaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,303/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 77% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $61K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for education teachers, postsecondaries?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do education teachers, postsecondaries make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $61,350 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,390, and experienced education teachers, postsecondaries can clear $99,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,025/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 44.2% 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 education teachers, postsecondary 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 teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $59,224 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education teachers, postsecondaries 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.