Salary guide, May 2025
Food Process Operator pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
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The median annual wage for Food Processing Workers, All Other in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $42,840 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $39,660 and $48,580.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $3,160 above the national median of $39,680, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other
The Food Process Operator title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
What should you know about chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $34,440 | $39,660 | $42,840 | $48,580 | $51,390 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $16.56 | $19.07 | $20.59 | $23.35 | $24.71 |
BLS estimated 1,150 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 0.61.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32,210 | $36,410 | $39,680 | $44,130 | $47,950 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.49 | $17.51 | $19.08 | $21.22 | $23.05 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Food Process Operator median is $42,840. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 0.78 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.61 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $36,750 | $39,370 | $41,560 |
| May 2025 | $39,660 | $42,840 | $48,580 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $37,800 | $31,200 to $38,300 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $39,420 | $37,410 to $42,030 |