Psychiatric Aides Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric aides in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $48,670/year ($23.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $46,983 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 53.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K 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 psychiatric aides
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Psychiatric aides pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 55.2% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychiatric aides in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $45K | $47K |
| Kansas City | $40K | $43K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $39K | $42K |
| Evansville | $46K | $50K |
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 psychiatric aides (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatric Aides pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Psychiatric Aides salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $55K | +23% | 620 |
| Washington | $53K | +17% | 330 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +16% | 30 |
| Maryland | $51K | +15% | 250 |
| Nevada | $51K | +14% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $51K | +14% | 130 |
| New York | $50K | +12% | 5,120 |
| Alaska | $49K | +10% | 190 |
| Illinois | $49K | +8% | 120 |
| Oregon | $48K | +8% | 1,550 |
| Vermont | $48K | +7% | 330 |
| California | $48K | +6% | 3,760 |
| Maine | $47K | +4% | 110 |
| Montana | $46K | +3% | 330 |
| Colorado | $46K | +3% | 300 |
| Michigan | $46K | +2% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +2% | 2,060 |
| Massachusetts | $45K | +1% | 950 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | +0% | N/A |
| Indiana | $45K | -0% | 1,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -0% | 1,620 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -1% | 520 |
| Texas | $43K | -5% | 1,760 |
| Utah | $41K | -9% | 130 |
| Missouri | $40K | -11% | 110 |
| Iowa | $39K | -13% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 250 |
| Ohio | $38K | -14% | 980 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -14% | N/A |
| Kansas | $38K | -15% | 580 |
| Florida | $38K | -16% | 2,210 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -16% | 220 |
| Virginia | $37K | -17% | N/A |
| Georgia | $37K | -18% | 1,090 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -19% | 200 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -19% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -32% | 2,490 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -33% | 280 |
| Alabama | $27K | -40% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track psychiatric aides 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 psychiatric aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 55.2% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for psychiatric aides in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric aides typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,458/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is psychiatric aide a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for psychiatric aides?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do psychiatric aides make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $48,670 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,960, and experienced psychiatric aides can clear $79,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,228/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 55.2% 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 psychiatric aides 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 psychiatric aides salary is worth about $46,983 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychiatric aides 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.