2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

Chicago vs. New York

Receptionists and Information Clerks. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 43-4171
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
30k40k50k60k CHICAGO $38,060 NEW YORK $44,690
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 17.4% higher — but after local prices, New York still leads by 8.1%.

Chicago's median $38,060 buys $36,700 at national prices (price parity 103.6); New York's $44,690 buys $39,700 (112.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

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

ChicagoNew YorkΔ
Employment30,54074,190+142.9%
10th percentile$31,690$35,060+10.6%
25th percentile$34,960$37,860+8.3%
Median$38,060$44,690+17.4%
75th percentile$45,140$49,320+9.3%
90th percentile$49,560$59,720+20.5%
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
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Chicago · Receptionists and Information Clerks 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.