Foresters pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,210 a year or less, while the top 10% make $120,410 or more. The middle half of foresters in Chicago earn between $66,950 and $107,390.
- $60K10th
- $67K25th
- $86KMedian
- $107K75th
- $120K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $87,080 | $7,257 | $41.87 |
| Median | $85,610 | $7,134 | $41.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $66,950 | $5,579 | $32.19 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $107,390 | $8,949 | $51.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Foresters pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Foresters in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($86,700) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($79,170). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $76,400.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $87,080 | $85,610 | $60,210 | $120,410 | 130 |
| Illinois | $86,700 | $82,160 | $60,230 | $120,150 | 220 |
| United States | $79,170 | $76,400 | $50,790 | $109,700 | 10,430 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Foresters salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $87,080, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $65,921 a year, or $5,493 a month and $2,535 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 | $67,508 | $5,626 |
| Working in IL | $65,921 | $5,493 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for foresters? 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 $87,080 buys what about $84,058 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Foresters salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$78,950
- Madison, WI$70,310
- Indianapolis, IN$70,510
- Lansing, MI$77,480
- St. Louis, MO$78,240
- Columbus, OH$73,310
Highest-paying cities for foresters
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($119,110).
- San Francisco, CA$119,110
- Los Angeles, CA$119,020
- Sacramento, CA$118,560
- Fresno, CA$106,830
- San Diego, CA$98,060
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Foresters salary in Chicago: questions
How much do foresters make an hour in Chicago?
$41.87 an hour on average, and $41.16 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level foresters salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,210 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,950, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the foresters take-home pay in Chicago?
About $65,921 a year ($5,493 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $87,080.
Do foresters earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($79,170).
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 19-1032; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- 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 0.43, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.43).
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