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.
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 #15 of 37 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 | Waterbury, CT | $102,340 | $76,772 | $76,943 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $108,460 | $79,773 | $70,869 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $100,060 | $75,294 | $70,458 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $100,270 | $73,815 | $67,793 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $82,750 | $64,093 | $67,404 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $79,590 | $64,822 | $67,286 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $85,040 | $64,591 | $62,349 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
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 #15 of 37 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%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Art Director — $104,570
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film — $102,370
- Broadcast Technician — $96,060
- Technical Writer — $89,960
- Special Effects Artist and Animator — $83,200
- Editor — $80,380
- Public Relations Specialist — $77,050
- Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner — $76,790
- Interior Designer — $76,570
- Writer and Author — $75,940
- Sound Engineering Technician — $73,140
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists — $70,350