Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,140 a year or less, while the top 10% make $73,430 or more. The middle half of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks in Chicago earn between $45,620 and $61,610.
- $36K10th
- $46K25th
- $51KMedian
- $62K75th
- $73K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,100 | $4,508 | $26.01 |
| Median | $51,440 | $4,287 | $24.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,620 | $3,802 | $21.93 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $61,610 | $5,134 | $29.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks in Chicago earn 4% more than the Illinois average ($51,860) and about the same as the U.S. average ($53,560). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $50,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $54,100 | $51,440 | $36,140 | $73,430 | 35,660 |
| Illinois | $51,860 | $49,560 | $32,360 | $71,480 | 51,470 |
| United States | $53,560 | $50,670 | $36,000 | $74,550 | 1,373,680 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $54,100, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $43,112 a year, or $3,593 a month and $1,658 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 | $44,056 | $3,671 |
| Working in IL | $43,112 | $3,593 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks? 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 $54,100 buys what about $52,223 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 6.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$54,100
- Springfield$52,600
- Champaign$51,490
- Decatur$50,080
- Peoria$49,710
- Rockford$49,480
- Kankakee$48,610
- Bloomington$48,210
All Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries in Illinois
Highest-paying cities for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,090).
- San Jose, CA$70,090
- San Francisco, CA$69,040
- Santa Cruz, CA$65,120
- Bridgeport, CT$64,990
- Napa, CA$64,120
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Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salary in Chicago: questions
How much do bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks make an hour in Chicago?
$26.01 an hour on average, and $24.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,140 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,620, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks take-home pay in Chicago?
About $43,112 a year ($3,593 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,100.
Do bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($53,560).
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 43-3031; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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