Network and Computer Systems Administrator Salary in Chicago, IL
Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $103,170 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $76,448 take-home, or $6,371 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median network and computer systems administrator salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,867
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,397
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,496
- Illinois income tax$4,962
- Take-home pay$76,448
Marginal rate: 22% 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 →
Network and Computer Systems Administrator pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,990 | $33.17 | $54,094 | $4,508 |
| 25th percentile | $82,750 | $39.78 | $63,093 | $5,258 |
| Median (50th) | $103,170 | $49.60 | $76,448 | $6,371 |
| 75th percentile | $130,120 | $62.56 | $93,907 | $7,826 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $162,290 | $78.02 | $114,303 | $9,525 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $103,170 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 network and computer systems administrator's $76,448 take-home pay has the buying power of $73,795 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Network and Computer Systems Administrator jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.76), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for network and computer systems administrators, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #20 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $122,950 | $89,785 | $85,929 |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $105,750 | $81,099 | $84,948 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $104,520 | $82,360 | $83,984 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $133,360 | $92,511 | $83,779 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $101,530 | $78,247 | $82,045 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $125,430 | $89,304 | $82,018 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $101,430 | $80,186 | $81,301 |
| 8 | Tampa, FL | $101,560 | $80,277 | $79,569 |
| 20 | Chicago, IL | $103,170 | $76,448 | $73,795 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: network and computer systems administrators
Install, configure, and maintain an organization’s local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -4.1% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a network and computer systems administrator make in Chicago, IL?
The median network and computer systems administrator salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $103,170 a year, or about $49.60 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $82,750 and $130,120.
What is a network and computer systems administrator’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $103,170 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $76,448 a year ($6,371 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,962 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a network and computer systems administrator?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $99,130. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $73,795 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #20 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a network and computer systems administrator 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) — 24% of a median network and computer systems administrator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Computer Network Architect — $143,800
- Software Developer — $134,380
- Information Security Analyst — $125,310
- Data Scientist — $107,640
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $105,580
- Computer Systems Analyst — $103,490
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $101,660
- Web Developer — $96,870
- Operations Research Analyst — $86,500
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $73,340
- Computer User Support Specialist — $60,730