File Clerk Salary in Chicago, IL
File Clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $58,320 a year — 34% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $46,298 take-home, or $3,858 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median file clerk salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,818
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,616
- Medicare (1.45%)$846
- Illinois income tax$2,742
- Take-home pay$46,298
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 →
File Clerk pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,990 | $17.30 | $29,461 | $2,455 |
| 25th percentile | $40,940 | $19.68 | $33,194 | $2,766 |
| Median (50th) | $58,320 | $28.04 | $46,298 | $3,858 |
| 75th percentile | $63,760 | $30.65 | $50,400 | $4,200 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,300 | $35.72 | $57,567 | $4,797 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,320 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 file clerk's $46,298 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,691 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.2× the national concentration of file clerk jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for file clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $58,320 | $46,298 | $44,691 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $41,400 | $35,445 | $35,938 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $42,850 | $36,610 | $35,513 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,450 | $39,523 | $34,802 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $44,710 | $36,287 | $32,237 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →
About the job: file clerks
File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -15.8% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make in Chicago, IL?
The median file clerk salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $58,320 a year, or about $28.04 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $40,940 and $63,760.
What is a file clerk’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $58,320 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $46,298 a year ($3,858 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,742 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a file clerk?
Pay here is 34% above the national median of $43,600. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,691 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a file clerk 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) — 40% of a median file clerk’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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