Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$60,380
To
$76,440
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$98,970
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$76,440
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$126,420
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$97,150
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for High School Teacher in Chicago
$76,440 to $126,420
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$98,970
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$76,440
To
$126,420
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$126,420
To
$140,600
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare high school teacher offers in Chicago against $60,380 to $76,440.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare high school teacher offers in Chicago against $76,440 to $126,420.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare high school teacher offers in Chicago against $126,420 to $140,600.
How Chicago Salaries Compare With Other Cities for This Role
Chicago is a BLS metro estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, so candidates can compare local pay with major hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$119,470
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$106,820
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$101,680
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$100,020
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$97,150
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$92,430
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$84,940
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$78,560
Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$73,690
Dallas
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$68,930
How High School Teacher Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares high school teacher pay in Chicago with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$192,460
Branch Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
CFO
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Controller
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Finance Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Attorney
Lawyers, SOC 23-1011
$187,420
High School Teacher
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, SOC 25-2031
$97,150
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for high school teachers in Chicago is $98,970. The middle market range runs from $76,440 at the 25th percentile to $126,420 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $60,380to $140,600.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $60,380 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $76,440 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $98,970 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $126,420 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $140,600 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps High School Teacher to BLS occupation Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, SOC 25-2031. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, SOC 25-2031, as the public wage source for High School Teacher.
- BLS area
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Employment estimate
- 32,790
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median high school teacher salary in Chicago?
The median annual salary for high school teachers in Chicago is $98,970, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education.
How much can fresher high school teacher candidates expect in Chicago?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For high school teachers in Chicago, that range is $60,380 to $76,440. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate high school teacher salary range in Chicago?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For high school teachers in Chicago, that range is $76,440 to $126,420.
What do senior high school teacher candidates earn in Chicago?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For high school teachers in Chicago, that range is $126,420 to $140,600.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education instead of only High School Teacher?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps High School Teacher to Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, SOC 25-2031, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
Does Chicago mean city limits or a metro area?
Chicago is displayed as a candidate-friendly city label, but the underlying wage estimate is for the BLS metro area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, not strict city limits.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 13 Jun 2026|Last updated: 21 Jun 2026
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