Audio and Video Technicians pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $116,880 or more. The middle half of audio and video technicians in Chicago earn between $42,640 and $86,470.
- $31K10th
- $43K25th
- $64KMedian
- $86K75th
- $117K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,470 | $5,789 | $33.40 |
| Median | $63,780 | $5,315 | $30.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,640 | $3,553 | $20.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $86,470 | $7,206 | $41.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Audio and Video Technicians salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $69,470, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $54,404 a year, or $4,534 a month and $2,092 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% 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 | $55,648 | $4,637 |
| Working in IL | $54,404 | $4,534 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for audio and video technicians? 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 $69,470 buys what about $67,059 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Audio and Video Technicians salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 3 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
Highest-paying cities for audio and video technicians
Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($82,310).
- Boston, MA$82,310
- San Francisco, CA$82,250
- San Jose, CA$81,730
- Seattle, WA$79,730
- Atlantic City, NJ$78,560
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Audio and Video Technicians salary in Chicago: questions
How much do audio and video technicians make an hour in Chicago?
$33.40 an hour on average, and $30.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level audio and video technicians salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,640, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the audio and video technicians take-home pay in Chicago?
About $54,404 a year ($4,534 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,470.
Do audio and video technicians earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($65,058).
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 27-4011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.3%.
- 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 1.22, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.