Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Chicago, IL
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $62,960 a year — 20% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,797 take-home, or $4,150 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,375
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,904
- Medicare (1.45%)$913
- Illinois income tax$2,972
- Take-home pay$49,797
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| 25th percentile | $36,360 | $17.48 | $29,740 | $2,478 |
| Median (50th) | $62,960 | $30.27 | $49,797 | $4,150 |
| 75th percentile | $84,610 | $40.68 | $64,310 | $5,359 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $122,740 | $59.01 | $89,228 | $7,436 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,960 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary's $49,797 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,069 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).
Best-paying cities for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 4 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $100,950 | $74,933 | $66,569 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $96,170 | $71,897 | $66,408 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $91,490 | $67,725 | $59,635 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $62,960 | $49,797 | $48,069 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 4 metros →
About the job: art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts.
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.2% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary make in Chicago, IL?
The median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $62,960 a year, or about $30.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,360 and $84,610.
What is a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $62,960 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $49,797 a year ($4,150 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,972 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary?
Pay here is 20% below the national median of $78,620. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,069 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 4 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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