Paralegal salary in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN
Paralegals earn more in Chicago-Naperville than anywhere else in Illinois. Expect a median of $70,550 a year1, 10.8% above the Illinois statewide median of $63,670 and 12.2% above the US median of $62,890. Nationally that is #30 of 506 areas, in the top tenth. With about 11,590 paralegals, no area in Illinois employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chicago-Naperville against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | $50,160 | $70,550 | $106,040 | |
| Illinois | $46,860 | $63,670 | $104,580 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $106,040, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Chicago-Naperville earns $58,740–$85,040. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $26,300 wide, between the figure for Illinois ($25,810) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,160 | $4,180 | $24.12 | $64,723 |
| 25th percentile | $58,740 | $4,895 | $28.24 | $75,794 |
| Median | $70,550 | $5,879 | $33.92 | $91,032 |
| 75th percentile | $85,040 | $7,087 | $40.88 | $109,729 |
| 90th percentile | $106,040 | $8,837 | $50.98 | $136,826 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,810 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,490, or about $18,697 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $62,890 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Chicago-Naperville, and the Illinois statewide median of $63,670 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Chicago-Naperville
At the $70,550 median, a local hire costs about $91,032 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,482 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for paralegals we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Chicago-Naperville
Of the 17 roles we track in Chicago-Naperville, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($70,710) and payroll specialists ($62,920). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,320.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +1.7% | 33,180 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.2% | 55,730 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 11,590 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -10.8% | 4,170 | |
| Bookkeeper | -27.1% | 35,660 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Chicago-Naperville (+12.2%); HR assistants come last (-2.0%). The typical role here is at +3.0%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Chicago-Naperville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chicago-Naperville, 2.3% across Illinois and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 11 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $43,960 in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area to $70,550 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $26,590 a year. No other area in Illinois has as many paralegals, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Chicago-Naperville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | this area | 11,590 | |
| Peoria, IL | -13.2% | 370 | |
| Bloomington, IL | -14.7% | 260 | |
| Springfield, IL | -15.0% | 230 | |
| Rockford, IL | -15.4% | 200 | |
| Decatur, IL | -15.4% | 30 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -17.0% | 100 |
Chicago-Naperville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chicago-Naperville is #5 of 503 US areas, one of the ten largest markets for this job. Outside Illinois, Worcester and Olympia-Lacey pay just above Chicago-Naperville and Stockton-Lodi and Philadelphia-Camden just below. All four are within $590 a year of the median in Chicago-Naperville. Of the three markets closest in size, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chicago-Naperville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | +15.6% | 12,990 | jobs | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +0.8% | 570 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | +0.6% | 480 | pay | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | this area | 11,590 | ||
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.0% | 290 | pay | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | -0.2% | 11,150 | pay | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | -9.2% | 10,290 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -10.4% | 8,320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN?
About $91,032 a year at the median, or $7,586 a month: $70,550 in pay plus about $20,482 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Chicago-Naperville?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,160, the 90th $106,040, and the middle half earned $58,740 to $85,040.
Is Chicago-Naperville the most expensive area in Illinois for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $70,550 is the highest of 11 areas in Illinois. Peoria comes next at $61,220.
How many paralegals work in Chicago-Naperville?
BLS counts about 11,590 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Illinois has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Chicago-Naperville?
Yes: $7,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,550 and $62,920.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.