Average Pay for Jobs in Chicago

How much an individual makes for a particular job is affected by several different factors including the size of the company they are working for and how much experienced the person in question has. One factor that is often over looked is the city the person lives and works in. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average jobs in the Chicago area paid $23.18 an hour in October of 2008, which is when the most recent data is from.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics discovered this during their National Compensation Survey (NCS). For the NCS’ purposes the Chicago area is lumped in with several others including: Cook, Dekalb DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake LaPorte, Newton, and Porter counties, which are in Indiana; and Kenosha Country in Wisconsin. Throughout these areas a total of 4,288,400 workers were polled. Individuals who worked in agricultural businesses or are self-employed were excluded from the poll.

In the report Regional Commissioner Jay A. Mousa said that the average pay of $23.18 was a result of a wide range of occupational groups. Each of these categories had their own average wage.

According to the NCS, the average business and financial operations Chicago job on average earned a worker $32.84 an hour. Those who worked in positions that involved installation, maintenance and repair received $24.94 for 60 minutes worth of work. In October of last year those with a healthcare job in the area received $12.70 an hour. Each of these areas of employment can be broken down into smaller categories.

Loan officers, a position that falls under the financial operations and occupational group, were found to make an average of $45.13 an hour. During the same time industrial machinery mechanics, a position that is considered part of the installation, maintenance and repair category by the NCS, earned $23.74 an hour. Nurses, orderlies and attendants, all healthcare positions, made an average of $12.73 for an hours worth of work.

The NCS also found that full-time workers made significantly more an hour than part-time workers. Individuals who worked 40 hours a week or more received $24.94 an hour, while part-time employees only made $12.94.

Members of unions in the area were found to make $27.33 an hour. Those who did not belong to such an organization received $22.12.

The size of the company a worker was employed at also made a difference. Those worked in an establishment that had less than 100 employees averaged $20.70 an hour. Businesses that had 100 to 499 workers made slightly more, earning $21.24 for 60 minutes of work. Individuals employed at establishments with 500 or more workers made the most, averaging $28.17 an hour.

With unemployment in Chicago currently at 9.9 percent the job market is becoming more competitive. This means that the next National Compensation Survey may see a decline in the average pay a worker receives per hour.