Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary in Chicago, IL
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $37,840 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,856 take-home, or $2,571 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,361
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,346
- Medicare (1.45%)$549
- Illinois income tax$1,728
- Take-home pay$30,856
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.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $25,850 | $2,154 |
| 25th percentile | $32,780 | $15.76 | $27,041 | $2,253 |
| Median (50th) | $37,840 | $18.19 | $30,856 | $2,571 |
| 75th percentile | $46,210 | $22.22 | $37,167 | $3,097 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,100 | $23.13 | $38,592 | $3,216 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,840 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 teaching assistants, except postsecondary's $30,856 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,785 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.13).
Best-paying cities for teaching assistants, except postsecondary, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #193 of 337 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon, WA | $57,950 | $48,743 | $47,580 |
| 2 | Decatur, IL | $48,480 | $38,879 | $43,969 |
| 3 | Bellingham, WA | $51,670 | $43,697 | $42,287 |
| 4 | Yakima, WA | $47,380 | $40,250 | $42,127 |
| 5 | Olympia, WA | $51,350 | $43,440 | $41,902 |
| 6 | Pueblo, CO | $46,280 | $38,038 | $41,453 |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | $44,110 | $37,622 | $41,332 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $53,950 | $45,529 | $40,968 |
| 193 | Chicago, IL | $37,840 | $30,856 | $29,785 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 337 metros →
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salaries elsewhere in Illinois
- Decatur, IL — $48,480
- Peoria, IL — $35,970
- Kankakee, IL — $35,430
- Springfield, IL — $33,740
- Rockford, IL — $32,020
- Champaign, IL — $32,220
- Bloomington, IL — $31,710
Frequently asked questions
How much does a teaching assistants, except postsecondary make in Chicago, IL?
The median teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $37,840 a year, or about $18.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $32,780 and $46,210.
What is a teaching assistants, except postsecondary’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $37,840 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $30,856 a year ($2,571 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,728 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a teaching assistants, except postsecondary?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $36,780. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,785 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #193 of 337 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a teaching assistants, except postsecondary 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) — 60% of a median teaching assistants, except postsecondary’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary — $101,960
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — $101,010
- Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary — $100,560
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $98,970
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School — $98,170
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary — $93,670
- History Teachers, Postsecondary — $88,360
- Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary — $85,120
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — $82,350
- Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary — $80,940
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary — $80,440
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School — $79,690