Salary guide, May 2025
PLC Programmer pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Software Developers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $134,380 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $104,530 and $167,650.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $1,600 below the national median of $135,980, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 15-1252 Software Developers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $83,820 | $104,530 | $134,380 | $167,650 | $203,410 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40.30 | $50.25 | $64.60 | $80.60 | $97.79 |
BLS estimated 40,370 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 0.82.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $82,460 | $105,210 | $135,980 | $171,980 | $214,670 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39.64 | $50.58 | $65.38 | $82.68 | $103.21 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published PLC Programmer median is $134,380. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 2.46 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.82 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 | $102,040 | $130,030 | $161,810 |
| May 2025 | $104,530 | $134,380 | $167,650 |
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 15-1252 Software Developers, 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 15-1252 Software Developers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | $116,550 | $83,560 to $139,530 |
| Niles, MI | $111,720 | $94,580 to $125,570 |