Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $80,940 a year. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $78,135 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 foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 2% difference. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $78K | $81K |
| St. Louis | $80K | $84K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $72K | $77K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $74K | $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 foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $78K spread from bottom to top.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $102K | +28% | 150 |
| Delaware | $101K | +27% | 70 |
| California | $100K | +26% | 2,170 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +24% | 960 |
| Maine | $97K | +22% | 70 |
| New York | $95K | +20% | 1,520 |
| Oregon | $92K | +16% | 510 |
| Maryland | $87K | +10% | 280 |
| Nevada | $85K | +7% | 90 |
| Michigan | $83K | +5% | 500 |
| Illinois | $82K | +3% | 690 |
| South Dakota | $81K | +2% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +2% | 410 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +2% | 340 |
| Montana | $80K | +1% | 80 |
| Iowa | $80K | +1% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $79K | -0% | 850 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | -1% | 360 |
| Utah | $79K | -1% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -1% | 450 |
| Washington | $78K | -1% | 370 |
| Colorado | $78K | -2% | 410 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -2% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -3% | 1,060 |
| Alaska | $76K | -4% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -4% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -4% | 40 |
| Florida | $76K | -4% | 430 |
| Missouri | $76K | -4% | 330 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -5% | 130 |
| Texas | $75K | -5% | 1,460 |
| Indiana | $75K | -6% | 660 |
| Ohio | $74K | -6% | 960 |
| Virginia | $74K | -7% | 890 |
| Georgia | $73K | -8% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $72K | -10% | 60 |
| Arizona | $71K | -10% | 360 |
| Alabama | $71K | -11% | 110 |
| Kansas | $66K | -17% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -17% | 180 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -19% | 30 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -19% | 690 |
| Arkansas | $63K | -21% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -22% | 80 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -31% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary 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 foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,935/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $80,940 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,920, and experienced foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries can clear $127,070. 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 $5,110/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 foreign language and literature 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 foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $78,135 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do foreign language and literature 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.