Producers and Directors Salary
The median pay for a producers and directors in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $85,040/year ($40.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $82,093 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $85K 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 producers and directors
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Producers and directors pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% 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 producers and directors in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford | $41K | $45K |
| Peoria | $43K | $47K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $66K | $72K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $61K | $64K |
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 producers and directors (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $129K spread from bottom to top.
Producers and Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Producers and Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $130K | +44% | 34,110 |
| New Jersey | $120K | +33% | 2,970 |
| New York | $108K | +19% | 27,990 |
| District of Columbia | $104K | +15% | 2,640 |
| Connecticut | $88K | -2% | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $87K | -3% | 1,640 |
| Rhode Island | $84K | -7% | 560 |
| Washington | $82K | -10% | 2,270 |
| Illinois | $81K | -10% | 3,170 |
| Massachusetts | $81K | -10% | 3,440 |
| Georgia | $80K | -12% | 5,010 |
| Florida | $80K | -12% | 7,160 |
| Maryland | $79K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Nevada | $78K | -13% | 1,630 |
| Colorado | $78K | -14% | 1,960 |
| Minnesota | $76K | -15% | 1,390 |
| Utah | $76K | -16% | 1,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $75K | -16% | 4,200 |
| Tennessee | $73K | -19% | 2,920 |
| Delaware | $73K | -20% | 150 |
| Texas | $72K | -21% | 6,610 |
| Maine | $71K | -21% | 400 |
| Ohio | $69K | -23% | 1,610 |
| Arizona | $67K | -25% | 1,720 |
| Missouri | $66K | -26% | 1,630 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -27% | 1,600 |
| Hawaii | $66K | -27% | 510 |
| Virginia | $66K | -27% | 2,820 |
| Michigan | $66K | -27% | 2,310 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -30% | 3,500 |
| Alabama | $63K | -30% | 1,040 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -30% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -32% | 770 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | -32% | 300 |
| Idaho | $61K | -32% | 380 |
| Kansas | $61K | -33% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -33% | 130 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -33% | 170 |
| Indiana | $60K | -34% | 1,480 |
| Iowa | $59K | -35% | 720 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -36% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $56K | -38% | 1,190 |
| Vermont | $56K | -38% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $55K | -40% | 950 |
| Alaska | $54K | -40% | 160 |
| Montana | $53K | -42% | 390 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -42% | 470 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -47% | 390 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -48% | 230 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -57% | 700 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track producers and directors 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 producers and director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 33.4% 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 $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for producers and directors in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new producers and directors typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,659/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is producers and director a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for producers and directors?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do producers and directors make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $85,040 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,310, and experienced producers and directors can clear $172,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,334/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 33.4% 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 producers and directors 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 producers and directors salary is worth about $82,093 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do producers and directors 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.