Accountants & Auditors salary in Chicago, IL
Median pay for accountants & auditors in Chicago, IL: $79,810/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $52,080 – $132,430 · about 41,820 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($74,290) by +$5,520 (+7%).
What it's really worth in Chicago
With Chicago's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $79,810 has the buying power of about $77,874 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $85,087 · median home $353,998 · median rent $2,266/mo.
How Chicago ranks for this job
On raw pay, Chicago, IL is 37th of the 187 metros we hold accountants & auditors wages for. Once Chicago's cost of living is applied, it ranks 84th.
The headline number flatters Chicago. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, accountants & auditors here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Chicago
A median home in Chicago, IL costs $353,998 — about 4.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,266/mo works out at 34% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where accountants & auditors earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Chicago.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chicago | Rent vs Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $113,980 | +43% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,990 | +30% | 1.4× |
| New York, NY | $103,900 | +30% | 1.5× |
| Washington, DC | $97,320 | +22% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in IL
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chicago | Rent vs Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | $71,020 | −11% | 0.5× |
| Rockford, IL | $65,710 | −18% | 0.6× |
Staying in IL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires accountants & auditors around Chicago
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- U.S. Federal Government (IL) · Government
- City of Chicago · Government
Other jobs in Chicago
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.