2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

Chicago vs. New York

Computer User Support Specialists. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 15-1232
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
50k75k100k CHICAGO $60,730 NEW YORK $75,690
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 24.6% higher — but after local prices, New York still leads by 14.7%.

Chicago's median $60,730 buys $58,600 at national prices (price parity 103.6); New York's $75,690 buys $67,200 (112.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is New York against Chicago.

ChicagoNew YorkΔ
Employment19,68036,580+85.9%
10th percentile$42,200$47,600+12.8%
25th percentile$47,950$59,900+24.9%
Median$60,730$75,690+24.6%
75th percentile$78,040$95,270+22.1%
90th percentile$98,590$117,080+18.8%
Sources

How this page was made

Wage data
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
Price parity
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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Computer User Support Specialists in Chicago · Computer User Support Specialists in New York

Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.