Producer and Director Salary in Chicago, IL
Producers and Directors in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $85,040 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,591 take-home, or $5,383 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median producer and director salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,879
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,272
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,233
- Illinois income tax$4,065
- Take-home pay$64,591
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 →
Producer and Director pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,310 | $21.30 | $35,735 | $2,978 |
| 25th percentile | $64,010 | $30.77 | $50,588 | $4,216 |
| Median (50th) | $85,040 | $40.88 | $64,591 | $5,383 |
| 75th percentile | $121,790 | $58.55 | $88,625 | $7,385 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $172,810 | $83.08 | $120,972 | $10,081 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $85,040 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 producer and director's $64,591 take-home pay has the buying power of $62,349 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Producer and Director jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.62), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for producers and directors, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #5 of 8 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $131,600 | $91,495 | $80,565 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $130,640 | $90,940 | $78,659 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $108,460 | $79,773 | $70,869 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $100,270 | $73,815 | $67,793 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $85,040 | $64,591 | $62,349 |
| 6 | Miami, FL | $87,980 | $70,724 | $61,954 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $79,950 | $61,548 | $61,513 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $83,850 | $63,846 | $58,971 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 8 metros →
About the job: producers and directors
Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.0% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a producer and director make in Chicago, IL?
The median producer and director salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $85,040 a year, or about $40.88 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $64,010 and $121,790.
What is a producer and director’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $85,040 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $64,591 a year ($5,383 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,065 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a producer and director?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $90,360. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $62,349 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #5 of 8 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a producer and director 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) — 28% of a median producer and director’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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