Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Salary in Chicago, IL
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $48,560 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,939 take-home, or $3,245 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median court, municipal, and license clerks salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,647
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,011
- Medicare (1.45%)$704
- Illinois income tax$2,259
- Take-home pay$38,939
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 →
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,450 | $17.04 | $29,054 | $2,421 |
| 25th percentile | $38,200 | $18.37 | $31,128 | $2,594 |
| Median (50th) | $48,560 | $23.35 | $38,939 | $3,245 |
| 75th percentile | $67,170 | $32.29 | $52,904 | $4,409 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,720 | $37.85 | $60,458 | $5,038 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $48,560 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 court, municipal, and license clerks's $38,939 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,588 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.88).
Best-paying cities for court, municipal, and license clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 11 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $62,850 | $49,757 | $45,959 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $64,610 | $51,298 | $45,170 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $57,180 | $45,759 | $43,654 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $48,930 | $41,495 | $42,072 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $59,320 | $47,237 | $41,965 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $49,030 | $41,576 | $40,329 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $49,550 | $40,472 | $39,464 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $51,110 | $41,706 | $39,427 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $48,560 | $38,939 | $37,588 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 11 metros →
About the job: court, municipal, and license clerks
Perform clerical duties for courts of law, municipalities, or governmental licensing agencies and bureaus. May prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges and court; prepare draft agendas or bylaws for town or city council; answer official correspondence; keep fiscal records and accounts; issue licenses or permits; and record data, administer tests, or collect fees. Clerks of Court are classified in "Managers, All Other" (11-9199).
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.4% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a court, municipal, and license clerks make in Chicago, IL?
The median court, municipal, and license clerks salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $48,560 a year, or about $23.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,200 and $67,170.
What is a court, municipal, and license clerks’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $48,560 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $38,939 a year ($3,245 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,259 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a court, municipal, and license clerks?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $48,700. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,588 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 11 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a court, municipal, and license clerks 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) — 47% of a median court, municipal, and license clerks’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $77,770
- 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