USLivingCost Salaries · Rent · Cost of Living

Lawyers salary in Chicago, IL

Lawyers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area earn a median of $165,660 a year, an average of $187,420. About 28,320 people work in this occupation there. Figures are from the May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Lawyers pay at a glance

Annual median wage
$165,660
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$187,420
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$87,070
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$331,140
Top of the range
People employed
28,320
In Chicago metro area
Rent share of median wage
10.0%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in Chicago

Rent from the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, compared with the wage above

Median gross rent
$1,380
per month, in Chicago, IL
Income needed for median rent
$55,200
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median lawyers wage
$165,660
200.1% above income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
10.0%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$75,134
All households, not one occupation

Occupations are not paid the same everywhere, and this page does not explain why. It reports what the survey measured for the Chicago area. Read the Chicago, IL cost of living page for rent, income and the price level, or the methodology for how the numbers are compiled.

Lawyers pay in other cities

Median annual wage, same occupation, same survey

Houston, TX
-4.6%
Median $157,980
Mean $193,390
Employed 16,810
Phoenix, AZ
-18.1%
Median $135,670
Mean $161,240
Employed 8,820
Philadelphia, PA
+3.0%
Median $170,660
Mean $186,600
Employed 19,040
Los Angeles, CA
+17.4%
Median $194,410
Mean $241,500
Employed 41,580
San Antonio, TX
-16.9%
Median $137,690
Mean $169,120
Employed 4,020
San Diego, CA
+7.6%
Median $178,220
Mean $203,680
Employed 8,020
Dallas, TX
+1.7%
Median $168,510
Mean $188,640
Employed 17,110
San Jose, CA
+81.9%
Median $301,320
Mean $288,980
Employed 6,040

See lawyers pay in every covered city.

Take-home pay calculator

Estimate your net pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. Adjust filing status and allowances for your situation.

$
$
Gross annual income $165,660 / year
$165,660
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
—
State income tax Illinois (IL)
—
FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.65% up to wage base
—
Pre-tax deductions 401(k), HSA, etc.
$0
Take-home pay (annual) After all taxes
—
Take-home per paycheck Monthly
—
Effective tax rate Total tax ÷ gross income
—

Estimates use 2024 federal tax brackets, FICA rates (6.2% SS up to $168,600, 1.45% Medicare + 0.9% >$200k), and state rates from Tax Foundation. Does not include local taxes, AMT, or tax credits. Consult a tax professional for actual liability.

Definitions used on this page

Annual median wage
The wage that half of the people in this occupation earn more than and half earn less than, for one year of work.
Annual mean wage
The average of all reported wages. It is higher than the median when a few very high earners pull it up.
Percentiles
The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th is the wage above which only 10% rise. The gap between them shows how wide the pay range is.
Employment
The estimated number of jobs in this occupation in the metropolitan area, not the number of residents who hold it.

Sources and limits

Wages describe the metropolitan area, while rent and income describe the city boundaries. The two areas do not cover exactly the same ground. Wages are also averaged across a year and across every industry, so a specific employer can differ widely from the median shown here.