Salary guide, May 2025
Production Manager 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.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Industrial Production Managers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $129,840 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $103,990 and $165,090.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $3,780 above the national median of $126,060, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 11-3051 Industrial Production Managers
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $86,490 | $103,990 | $129,840 | $165,090 | $216,720 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $41.58 | $50.00 | $62.43 | $79.37 | $104.19 |
BLS estimated 8,850 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 1.24.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $78,000 | $98,160 | $126,060 | $161,880 | $205,520 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $37.50 | $47.19 | $60.61 | $77.83 | $98.81 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Production Manager median is $129,840. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 2.37 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.24 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 | $100,760 | $123,120 | $155,250 |
| May 2025 | $103,990 | $129,840 | $165,090 |
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 11-3051 Industrial Production Managers, 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 11-3051 Industrial Production Managers, 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 | $124,070 | $100,700 to $146,590 |
| Niles, MI | $109,470 | $85,120 to $136,320 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin reports a broad occupational median of $129,840 for production managers. For Production Manager in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $129,840; the May 2024 median is $123,120. Their arithmetic difference is $6,720. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
Manufacturing Headhunters notes that this aligns well above the national median of $126,060. For Production Manager in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. These omissions are important to consider when structuring a competitive total compensation package for manufacturing plant leaders.
The locationQuotient of 1.24 shows that this metro area has a high concentration of production management roles. The p25 is $103,990 and the p75 reaches $165,090. National rows for specialized industries offer further insight: Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $155,730 and Iron and Steel Mills at $145,280. Comparing these national manufacturing figures to the regional broader median reveals the premium placed on industrial-specific experience within the greater Chicago area.
Neighboring hubs such as Kankakee, with a median of $124,070, and Niles, with $109,470, show lower pay scales compared to the main Chicago metro. This indicates that Chicago serves as the primary high-wage center for industrial leadership in the region. As with all BLS data, topcoding at the p90 level limits the ability to see specific upper-range salary spikes. Managers should not invent numbers to fill these gaps; focus on the documented median as the anchor for professional staffing decisions.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Does the Chicago median include production incentives?
For Production Manager in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
What does the high location quotient of 1.24 imply for the Chicago market?
It shows that Chicago has an above-average density of production management positions. This high volume of roles reflects the metro's industrial character.
Why are the industry-specific rows, like Iron and Steel, helpful?
These rows provide a manufacturing-only focus. They allow recruiters to benchmark against specific industrial targets rather than the broader occupational average.
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