Interpreters and Translators pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,220 or more. The middle half of interpreters and translators in Chicago earn between $45,800 and $75,750.
- $39K10th
- $46K25th
- $60KMedian
- $76K75th
- $86K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,310 | $5,109 | $29.48 |
| Median | $59,660 | $4,972 | $28.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,800 | $3,817 | $22.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,750 | $6,312 | $36.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Interpreters and Translators salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $61,310, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $48,549 a year, or $4,046 a month and $1,867 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% 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 | $49,633 | $4,136 |
| Working in IL | $48,549 | $4,046 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for interpreters and translators? 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 $61,310 buys what about $59,182 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Interpreters and Translators salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 5 Illinois metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($61,740).
- Springfield$61,740
- Chicago$61,310
- Champaign$54,670
- Peoria$52,320
- Rockford$46,960
Highest-paying cities for interpreters and translators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($93,650).
- San Jose, CA$93,650
- Washington, DC$93,460
- Santa Maria, CA$92,880
- New York, NY$91,110
- San Francisco, CA$90,940
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Interpreters and Translators salary in Chicago: questions
How much do interpreters and translators make an hour in Chicago?
$29.48 an hour on average, and $28.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interpreters and translators salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interpreters and translators take-home pay in Chicago?
About $48,549 a year ($4,046 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,310.
Do interpreters and translators earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($67,848).
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 27-3091; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
- 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 0.71, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.71).
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