Office Clerks, General Salary in Chicago, IL
Office Clerks, General in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $46,330 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,258 take-home, or $3,105 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median office clerks, general salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,380
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,872
- Medicare (1.45%)$672
- Illinois income tax$2,149
- Take-home pay$37,258
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 →
Office Clerks, General pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $32,580 | $15.66 | $26,890 | $2,241 |
| 25th percentile | $37,710 | $18.13 | $30,758 | $2,563 |
| Median (50th) | $46,330 | $22.27 | $37,258 | $3,105 |
| 75th percentile | $57,790 | $27.78 | $45,898 | $3,825 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $72,910 | $35.05 | $56,658 | $4,721 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,330 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 office clerks, general's $37,258 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,965 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Office Clerks, General jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.93).
Best-paying cities for office clerks, general, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #109 of 157 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo, ND | $49,060 | $41,600 | $45,779 |
| 2 | Duluth, MN | $46,820 | $38,114 | $42,936 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $58,840 | $47,113 | $42,666 |
| 4 | Des Moines, IA | $46,540 | $38,458 | $41,939 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $53,990 | $43,894 | $41,495 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $49,230 | $41,736 | $41,317 |
| 7 | Santa Maria, CA | $55,620 | $44,761 | $41,141 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,640 | $37,644 | $40,677 |
| 109 | Chicago, IL | $46,330 | $37,258 | $35,965 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 157 metros →
About the job: office clerks, general
Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.
- 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
- -6.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Office Clerks, General salaries elsewhere in Illinois
- Peoria, IL — $41,600
Frequently asked questions
How much does a office clerks, general make in Chicago, IL?
The median office clerks, general salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $46,330 a year, or about $22.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,710 and $57,790.
What is a office clerks, general’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $46,330 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $37,258 a year ($3,105 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,149 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a office clerks, general?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $45,010. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,965 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #109 of 157 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a office clerks, general 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) — 49% of a median office clerks, general’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
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- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $71,730
- Public Safety Telecommunicator — $66,980
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $63,750
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $62,920
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $59,900
- Cargo and Freight Agent — $59,850
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $59,490
- File Clerk — $58,320
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $58,300
- Loan Interviewer and Clerk — $53,870
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $51,440