Architects, Except Landscape and Naval pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,990 or more. The middle half of architects (except landscape and naval) in Chicago earn between $65,820 and $105,090.
- $61K10th
- $66K25th
- $82KMedian
- $105K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $93,260 | $7,772 | $44.84 |
| Median | $81,790 | $6,816 | $39.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,820 | $5,485 | $31.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $105,090 | $8,758 | $50.52 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $93,260, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $69,963 a year, or $5,830 a month and $2,691 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $71,671 | $5,973 |
| Working in IL | $69,963 | $5,830 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for architects (except landscape and naval)? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $93,260 buys what about $90,024 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($100,640).
- Springfield$100,640
- Chicago$93,260
- Rockford$90,410
- Champaign$89,300
- Peoria$86,830
- Bloomington$85,080
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salaries in Illinois
Highest-paying cities for architects (except landscape and naval)
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($142,170).
- San Jose, CA$142,170
- San Francisco, CA$131,300
- Trenton, NJ$127,000
- Kiryas Joel, NY$125,980
- Sacramento, CA$124,740
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Architects, Except Landscape and Naval salary in Chicago: questions
How much do architects (except landscape and naval) make an hour in Chicago?
$44.84 an hour on average, and $39.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level architects (except landscape and naval) salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,820, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the architects (except landscape and naval) take-home pay in Chicago?
About $69,963 a year ($5,830 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $93,260.
Do architects (except landscape and naval) earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($106,836).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-1011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.44, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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