Chicago vs. Philadelphia
Physicians, All Other. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.
Data released May 2025
BLS OEWS · SOC 29-1229
Fig. 1 — Side by side
Both distributions, one scale
10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
Table 1 — Adjusted
Philadelphia's median is 159.2% higher — but after local prices, Philadelphia still leads by 161.9%.
Chicago's median $94,820 buys $91,500 at national prices (price parity 103.6); Philadelphia's $245,810 buys $239,700 (102.6).
Table 2 — The figures
Point by point
Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is Philadelphia against Chicago.
| Chicago | Philadelphia | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 16,950 | 11,380 | −32.9% |
| 10th percentile | $73,430 | $75,590 | +2.9% |
| 25th percentile | $81,360 | $92,920 | +14.2% |
| Median | $94,820 | $245,810 | +159.2% |
| 75th percentile | $321,350 | $349,980 | +8.9% |
| 90th percentile | $430,240 | $391,750 | −8.9% |
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.
- Full pages
- Physicians, All Other in Chicago · Physicians, All Other in Philadelphia
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.