Lawyer salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Lawyers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $165,660 a year ($79.64 an hour), based on BLS data for 28,320 workers.
Pay ranges from $87,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $331,140 for the top 10%. That is 4% higher than the national median of $159,670. Pay here is 3% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $160,800. There are 6.3 lawyers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $187,420, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for lawyers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $87,070 | $41.86 |
| 25th percentile | $106,980 | $51.43 |
| Median | $165,660 | $79.64 |
| 75th percentile | $232,270 | $111.67 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $331,140 | $159.20 |
| Average (mean) | $187,420 | $90.11 |
Half of lawyers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $13,805 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $6,902.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $6,371.54 |
| Weekly | $3,185.77 |
| Hourly | $79.64 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Lawyer salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | $161,150 | 560 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $142,690 | 6,100 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $135,290 | 210 |
| Springfield, IL | $131,400 | 530 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $130,980 | 3,870 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $129,990 | 250 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $126,520 | 510 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $124,850 | 420 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $124,530 | 2,000 |
| Bloomington, IL | $124,100 | 530 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $116,060 | 70 |
| Evansville, IN | $107,050 | 370 |
| Kankakee, IL | $107,030 | 50 |
| Columbus, IN | $105,790 | 70 |
| Kokomo, IN | $104,320 | 60 |
| Bloomington, IN | $103,460 | 210 |
| Rockford, IL | $103,190 | 340 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $103,050 | 280 |
| Muncie, IN | $102,140 | 60 |
| Decatur, IL | $100,790 | 70 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $100,650 | 220 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $96,960 | 150 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $94,600 | 120 |
Highest-paying states for lawyers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $207,860 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 |
| California | $195,080 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 |
| Delaware | $173,510 |
| Colorado | $168,520 |
| Virginia | $167,210 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 |
| Illinois | $160,800 |
See Lawyer pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $121,720 | $58.52 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $66,640 | $32.04 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $146,400 | $70.38 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $98,760 | $47.48 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $70,550 | $33.92 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $63,240 | $30.40 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $56,710 | $27.26 |
More: Legal Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lawyer make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for lawyers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $165,660 a year, or $79.64 an hour. Pay ranges from $87,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $331,140 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid lawyers make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of lawyers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $331,140 a year. The top 25% earn $232,270 or more.
What is the starting pay for lawyers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $87,070 a year, and a quarter of lawyers earn $106,980 or less.
How many lawyers work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 28,320 lawyers are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.