Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary in Chicago, IL
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $48,230 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,690 take-home, or $3,224 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,608
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,990
- Medicare (1.45%)$699
- Illinois income tax$2,243
- Take-home pay$38,690
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 →
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,370 | $17.49 | $29,748 | $2,479 |
| 25th percentile | $41,620 | $20.01 | $33,706 | $2,809 |
| Median (50th) | $48,230 | $23.19 | $38,690 | $3,224 |
| 75th percentile | $60,340 | $29.01 | $47,821 | $3,985 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,320 | $37.17 | $59,542 | $4,962 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $48,230 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 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers's $38,690 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,348 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.3× the national concentration of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #39 of 45 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $76,800 | $62,859 | $56,562 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | $63,030 | $50,107 | $56,334 |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO | $63,000 | $50,777 | $54,868 |
| 4 | Tulsa, OK | $56,210 | $45,361 | $50,845 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $60,040 | $48,645 | $47,345 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $57,330 | $45,762 | $46,724 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $61,820 | $49,281 | $45,260 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $58,900 | $47,024 | $44,861 |
| 39 | Chicago, IL | $48,230 | $38,690 | $37,348 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 45 metros →
About the job: inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
- 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
- +2.5% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make in Chicago, IL?
The median inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $48,230 a year, or about $23.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $41,620 and $60,340.
What is a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $48,230 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $38,690 a year ($3,224 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,243 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $48,570. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,348 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #39 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers 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 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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