Office Clerks, General Salary
Office Clerks, Generals in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $46,330 a year, or about $22.28 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $44,724 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 56.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K 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 office clerks, generals
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Office clerks, general pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 57.8% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for office clerks, generals in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $42K | $46K |
| Springfield | $48K | $52K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $49K | $53K |
| Rockford | $43K | $47K |
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 office clerks, generals (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Office Clerks, General pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Office Clerks, General salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $55K | +22% | 5,670 |
| Colorado | $54K | +19% | 31,770 |
| Alaska | $52K | +15% | 3,440 |
| Washington | $51K | +12% | 49,050 |
| North Dakota | $50K | +11% | 8,440 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +11% | 47,940 |
| Oregon | $50K | +11% | 27,980 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +9% | 12,740 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +8% | 65,130 |
| California | $48K | +8% | 311,490 |
| Vermont | $48K | +7% | 5,100 |
| Connecticut | $48K | +7% | 23,190 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +6% | 55,530 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +6% | 7,700 |
| Maryland | $47K | +5% | 27,290 |
| Montana | $46K | +3% | 10,390 |
| Arizona | $46K | +3% | 52,710 |
| Virginia | $46K | +3% | 66,550 |
| New York | $46K | +2% | 134,280 |
| Illinois | $46K | +2% | 95,980 |
| Nevada | $45K | +1% | 20,430 |
| Maine | $45K | +1% | 11,260 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | -0% | 51,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -0% | 107,500 |
| Idaho | $45K | -0% | 20,790 |
| Michigan | $45K | -0% | 88,030 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 58,480 |
| Florida | $44K | -1% | 189,700 |
| Iowa | $44K | -2% | 23,120 |
| Utah | $44K | -2% | 36,470 |
| Ohio | $44K | -3% | 89,310 |
| Wyoming | $43K | -5% | 6,670 |
| Delaware | $43K | -5% | 7,230 |
| Missouri | $42K | -6% | 56,050 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -6% | 12,930 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -7% | 67,930 |
| Georgia | $41K | -10% | 75,390 |
| Texas | $39K | -13% | 218,470 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -14% | 49,880 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -14% | 1,720 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -16% | 29,750 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -16% | 10,000 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -17% | 31,870 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -18% | 11,880 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -18% | 29,940 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -18% | 42,250 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -22% | 9,430 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -22% | 17,600 |
| Louisiana | $32K | -28% | 31,790 |
| Kansas | $32K | -28% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $31K | -31% | 13,130 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track office clerks, general salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a office clerks, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 57.8% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for office clerks, generals in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new office clerks, generals typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,955/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 91% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is office clerks, general a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for office clerks, generals?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do office clerks, generals make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $46,330 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,580, and experienced office clerks, generals can clear $72,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,081/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 57.8% 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 office clerks, general 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 office clerks, general salary is worth about $44,724 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do office clerks, generals 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.