Salary by metro
MBA-Relevant Salaries in Chicago
What the roles MBAs target actually pay in the Chicago metro area — source-labeled BLS wage benchmarks, adjusted for what it costs to live there.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI; cost-of-living from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Roles benchmarked
- 19
- MBA-relevant occupations
- Median wage span
- $79,900–$344,960
- across roles
- Highest median
- $344,960
- Chief Executives
- Cost of living
- 103.6
- price level (U.S. = 100)
What MBA-relevant roles pay in Chicago
Median wage and cost-of-living-adjusted value for each occupation. Open a role for its full percentile range and metro ranking.
| Role (occupation) | Median annual | Cost-of-living adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives SOC 11-1011 | $344,960 | $332,989 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers SOC 11-3021 | $173,760 | $167,730 |
| Financial Managers SOC 11-3031 | $168,810 | $162,952 |
| Marketing Managers SOC 11-2021 | $165,340 | $159,602 |
| Sales Managers SOC 11-2022 | $158,690 | $153,183 |
| Human Resources Managers SOC 11-3121 | $156,770 | $151,330 |
| Industrial Production Managers SOC 11-3051 | $129,840 | $125,334 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers SOC 11-3071 | $124,120 | $119,813 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers SOC 11-9111 | $123,090 | $118,818 |
| Personal Financial Advisors SOC 13-2052 | $113,210 | $109,281 |
| General and Operations Managers SOC 11-1021 | $109,390 | $105,594 |
| Data Scientists SOC 15-2051 | $107,640 | $103,905 |
| Project Management Specialists SOC 13-1082 | $105,320 | $101,665 |
| Management Analysts SOC 13-1111 | $105,090 | $101,443 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts SOC 13-2051 | $101,750 | $98,219 |
| Operations Research Analysts SOC 15-2031 | $86,500 | $83,498 |
| Accountants and Auditors SOC 13-2011 | $82,360 | $79,502 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists SOC 13-1161 | $80,400 | $77,610 |
| Logisticians SOC 13-1081 | $79,900 | $77,127 |
Compare other metros
Cost of living and Chicago pay
Nominal wages in the Chicago area reflect its industry mix and cost of living. A higher headline number in an expensive metro does not automatically mean a better financial outcome — housing and everyday costs claim more of it. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure so you can compare purchasing power, not just headline pay.
Frequently asked questions
What do MBA-relevant roles pay in Chicago?
Across the 19 MBA-relevant occupations benchmarked for the Chicago metro area, median annual wages span roughly $79,900 to $344,960. These are BLS OEWS occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-graduate-specific outcomes. The highest-median role here is Chief Executives at $344,960.
Is Chicago an expensive place to earn these salaries?
The Chicago area overall price level is 103.6 against a U.S. average of 100 — close to the national average. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure.
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Every figure on SalaryMBA is source-labeled. See our methodology for how we source and gate data.