Marketing specialist pay in Chicago, IL
Marketing specialists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a typical $80,400 a year. The middle half earn $62,160 to $105,710, and the top 10% earn more than $140,260. About 30,970 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, SOC 13-1161).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $49,910 |
| 25th percentile | $62,160 |
| Median (typical) | $80,400 |
| 75th percentile | $105,710 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $140,260 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 15 of 50 large metros for marketing specialists before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $80,400, a single filer keeps about $61,600 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and Illinois state income tax. Prices in Chicago are 4% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $59,400 would in a typical US city. That ranks Chicago No. 29 of 50 large metros for marketing specialists after cost of living.
Where marketing specialists’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$141,960 typical · worth $90k
- San Francisco, CA$123,250 typical · worth $76.4k
- Seattle, WA$102,170 typical · worth $72.6k
- Denver, CO$99,040 typical · worth $70.7k
All 50 metros for marketing specialists →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among marketing specialists in Chicago. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 4 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a marketing specialist make in Chicago, IL?
The typical (median) marketing specialist in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earns $80,400 a year. The middle half earn between $62,160 and $105,710, and the top 10% earn more than $140,260. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a marketing specialist in Chicago?
Anything above $80,400 pays more than half of marketing specialists in Chicago. $105,710 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $140,260 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a marketing specialist in Chicago take home after taxes?
At the typical $80,400, a single filer keeps about $61,600 a year ($5,130 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, Illinois state income tax. With local prices 4% above the US average, that buys what $59,400 would in a typical US city.
Where do marketing specialists get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical marketing specialist pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA. Chicago, IL ranks No. 29.
More: Marketing specialist pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Chicago, IL
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.