Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Chicago, IL
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $50,440 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $40,357 take-home, or $3,363 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,873
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,127
- Medicare (1.45%)$731
- Illinois income tax$2,352
- Take-home pay$40,357
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 →
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,300 | $16.49 | $28,187 | $2,349 |
| 25th percentile | $42,260 | $20.32 | $34,189 | $2,849 |
| Median (50th) | $50,440 | $24.25 | $40,357 | $3,363 |
| 75th percentile | $62,970 | $30.27 | $49,804 | $4,150 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,820 | $37.89 | $60,523 | $5,044 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,440 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $40,357 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,956 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.01).
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #73 of 111 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $63,800 | $51,497 | $49,252 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,230 | $50,575 | $45,508 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $62,940 | $50,108 | $45,378 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $55,940 | $45,535 | $44,319 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $57,440 | $46,673 | $43,675 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $59,330 | $47,105 | $43,509 |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $51,410 | $42,007 | $43,178 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $49,000 | $41,552 | $43,131 |
| 73 | Chicago, IL | $50,440 | $40,357 | $38,956 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 111 metros →
About the job: secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Chicago, IL?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $50,440 a year, or about $24.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,260 and $62,970.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $50,440 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $40,357 a year ($3,363 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,352 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,956 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #73 of 111 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive 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) — 46% of a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’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