Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant Salary in Chicago, IL
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $47,680 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,276 take-home, or $3,190 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,542
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,956
- Medicare (1.45%)$691
- Illinois income tax$2,215
- Take-home pay$38,276
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 →
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,970 | $18.74 | $31,708 | $2,642 |
| 25th percentile | $44,180 | $21.24 | $35,637 | $2,970 |
| Median (50th) | $47,680 | $22.92 | $38,276 | $3,190 |
| 75th percentile | $51,080 | $24.56 | $40,839 | $3,403 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,680 | $29.17 | $48,078 | $4,006 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,680 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 medical secretary and administrative assistant's $38,276 take-home pay has the buying power of $36,947 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.72), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for medical secretaries and administrative assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #46 of 69 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $69,350 | $54,380 | $49,247 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,350 | $50,671 | $45,595 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $57,730 | $46,302 | $43,407 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $61,330 | $48,932 | $42,324 |
| 5 | Winston, NC | $46,370 | $38,097 | $41,390 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $45,920 | $38,596 | $41,094 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $47,310 | $39,127 | $40,950 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $46,180 | $38,798 | $40,682 |
| 46 | Chicago, IL | $47,680 | $38,276 | $36,947 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 69 metros →
About the job: medical secretaries and administrative assistants
Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.8% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical secretary and administrative assistant make in Chicago, IL?
The median medical secretary and administrative assistant salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $47,680 a year, or about $22.92 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $44,180 and $51,080.
What is a medical secretary and administrative assistant’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $47,680 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $38,276 a year ($3,190 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,215 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a medical secretary and administrative assistant?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $45,930. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $36,947 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #46 of 69 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical secretary and administrative assistant 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) — 48% of a median medical secretary and administrative assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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