Salary guide, May 2025
Quality Technician 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 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $48,230 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $41,620 and $60,340.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $340 below the national median of $48,570, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
The Quality Technician 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $36,370 | $41,620 | $48,230 | $60,340 | $77,320 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.49 | $20.01 | $23.19 | $29.01 | $37.18 |
BLS estimated 23,080 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 1.33.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,510 | $39,890 | $48,570 | $61,440 | $77,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.07 | $19.18 | $23.35 | $29.54 | $37.44 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Quality Technician median is $48,230. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 0.88 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.33 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 | $39,130 | $47,330 | $59,010 |
| May 2025 | $41,620 | $48,230 | $60,340 |
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 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, 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 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, 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 | $48,880 | $43,370 to $60,830 |
| Niles, MI | $43,870 | $37,440 to $51,040 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
Quality Technicians in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area report a median annual salary of $48,230. For Quality Technician in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $48,230; the May 2024 median is $47,330. Their arithmetic difference is $900. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
The middle band width for this occupation in Chicago is $18,720, representing the spread between the P75 of $60,340 and the P25 of $41,620. For Quality Technician 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.
National benchmarks for specialized manufacturing sectors demonstrate the higher wages associated with complex technical work. These reflect higher values than the national occupation-wide median of $48,570. Chicago exhibits a location quotient of 1.33, signifying a significant concentration of these inspection roles relative to the national average, which is a structural feature of the regional industrial economy.
Comparing the Chicago metro to its neighbors reveals differences in wage levels. The Kankakee, IL market reports a median of $48,880, while the Niles, MI market has a lower median of $43,870. The middle band width for Kankakee is $17,460, compared to a $13,600 band in Niles. These variations reflect the distinct industrial profiles and labor dynamics present in each market. Because the SOC 51-9061 code covers a broad range of inspection duties, the data represents an aggregate of roles rather than a specific salary for one particular technician title. For Quality Technician in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $48,230; the May 2024 median is $47,330. Their arithmetic difference is $900. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
For Quality Technician in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $48,230; the May 2024 median is $47,330. Their arithmetic difference is $900. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
How does the Chicago median change compare to the national average?
For Quality Technician in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $48,230; the May 2024 median is $47,330. Their arithmetic difference is $900. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.
Is the $18,720 middle band width the total pay range?
No, the $18,720 band represents the spread between the 25th and 75th percentiles. It does not include the total range of all paid inspectors in the market.
What does the 1.33 location quotient indicate about the labor market?
It shows that inspection roles are more concentrated in Chicago than they are nationally. It is a metric of industrial density, not salary competition or hiring ease.
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