Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $78,000/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $75,297 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $78K 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 36% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $61K | $67K |
| Rockford | $77K | $83K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $60K | $64K |
| Springfield | $76K | $81K |
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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102K | +59% | 10,510 |
| California | $99K | +54% | 37,300 |
| New York | $95K | +47% | 38,670 |
| Connecticut | $94K | +45% | 7,920 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +44% | 2,370 |
| Massachusetts | $89K | +39% | 16,570 |
| District of Columbia | $80K | +24% | 1,540 |
| Utah | $79K | +23% | 5,960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +23% | 1,150 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +22% | 23,650 |
| Maryland | $79K | +22% | 14,530 |
| Oregon | $78K | +22% | 6,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +21% | 22,720 |
| Ohio | $77K | +20% | 30,450 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 24,770 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +17% | 4,260 |
| Vermont | $74K | +15% | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +11% | 3,120 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +8% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $68K | +5% | 2,350 |
| Nevada | $66K | +3% | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $65K | +1% | 23,610 |
| Michigan | $64K | -1% | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $64K | -1% | 13,280 |
| Maine | $64K | -1% | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 18,290 |
| Texas | $63K | -2% | 80,160 |
| Minnesota | $63K | -3% | 8,890 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -3% | 1,290 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -4% | 14,460 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 10,000 |
| Montana | $62K | -4% | 1,980 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -5% | 8,040 |
| Idaho | $61K | -5% | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -6% | 9,750 |
| Indiana | $61K | -6% | 11,700 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -6% | 13,060 |
| Kansas | $61K | -6% | 6,230 |
| Iowa | $60K | -6% | 6,270 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59K | -8% | 11,330 |
| Florida | $59K | -8% | 31,370 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -9% | 5,560 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -11% | 4,090 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -19% | 20,650 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -21% | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -21% | 6,260 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -25% | 7,620 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
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Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 36% 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,032/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $78K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $78,000 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,530, and experienced middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $120,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,950/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 36% 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $75,297 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations 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.