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Chicago Public Schools salary estimate

$45,068yearly

$21.67 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$27,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Salaries at Chicago Public Schools

The average salary at Chicago Public Schools is $45,068 annually. Salaries vary significantly across different positions and departments. For instance, administrative roles and educational staff may have different compensation levels based on experience and qualifications. The highest-paying jobs often include leadership positions within the district. Understanding the salary structure can assist job seekers in evaluating their options and making informed career decisions.

Salary Breakdown by Department

Salary estimates can vary widely depending on the department. For example, educators may earn different salaries compared to administrative staff. It’s essential to research specific roles to understand the financial landscape within Chicago Public Schools. By doing so, prospective employees can gauge their earning potential and assess which positions align best with their career goals.

Highest paying jobs at Chicago Public Schools

The highest paying jobs at Chicago Public Schools are department chairperson, chief engineer, team leader, and principal. Department chairperson jobs at Chicago Public Schools earn an average yearly salary of $125,488, Chicago Public Schools chief engineer jobs average $113,734, and Chicago Public Schools team leader jobs average $104,032.

The lowest paying Chicago Public Schools roles include bus aide and teacher assistant. Chicago Public Schools bus aide average salary is $26,168 per year. So while the average Chicago Public Schools salary is $45,068 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at Chicago Public Schools

RankJob titleAverage Chicago Public Schools salaryHourly rate
1Department Chairperson$125,488$60.33
2Chief Engineer$113,734$54.68
3Team Leader$104,032$50.02
4Principal$101,992$49.03
5Project Manager$87,410$42.02
6Student Dean$80,096$38.51
7Speech Language Pathologist$78,850$37.91
8Occupational Therapist$77,492$37.26
9Technology Coordinator$69,622$33.47
10Stationary Engineer$68,379$32.87
11Facilities Manager$68,289$32.83
12Reading Specialist$63,169$30.37
13Instructor$63,095$30.33
14School Social Worker$57,159$27.48
15Recruiter$56,762$27.29
16Program Coordinator$55,417$26.64
17Educator$55,328$26.60
18School Counselor$54,636$26.27
19Licensed Practical Nurse$54,558$26.23
20Career Coach$54,099$26.01

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Chicago Public Schools salaries by department

Salaries at Chicago Public Schools vary depending on the department you work in. Chicago Public Schools salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $84,095. Employees in the it department at Chicago Public Schools receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $64,101 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Chicago Public Schools include the hospitality/service and the retail organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $28,744 and $30,669, respectively.

Average Chicago Public Schools salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage Chicago Public Schools salaryHourly rate
1Engineering$84,095$40.43
2IT$64,101$30.82
3Healthcare$59,744$28.72
4Non Profit/Government$51,981$24.99
5Education$47,775$22.97
6Administrative$40,466$19.45
7Facilities$37,757$18.15
8Retail$30,669$14.74
9Hospitality/Service$28,744$13.82

How much does Chicago Public Schools pay by department?

Best paying Chicago Public Schools education salaries

RankPositionAverage Chicago Public Schools salaryHourly rate
1Student Dean$80,096$38.51
2School Business Manager$67,608$32.50
3Reading Specialist$63,169$30.37
4Instructor$63,095$30.33
5School Coordinator$58,912$28.32
6Educator$55,328$26.60
7Career Coach$54,099$26.01
8Tutor$52,987$25.47
9Library Media Specialist$52,726$25.35
10Corps Member$52,466$25.22
11Substitute Teacher$40,877$19.65
12Special Education Assistant$33,604$16.16
13Education Paraprofessional$32,941$15.84
14Teacher Assistant$27,709$13.32

Best paying Chicago Public Schools administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage Chicago Public Schools salaryHourly rate
1Administrator$72,845$35.02
2Regional Coordinator$60,076$28.88
3Office Manager$56,471$27.15
4Data Entry Associate$48,928$23.52
5Student Internship$43,938$21.12
6Secretary$42,955$20.65
7Administrative Internship$39,932$19.20
8Administrative Assistant$38,825$18.67
9Office Assistant$34,298$16.49
10Clerk$32,063$15.41
11Receptionist$29,731$14.29
12Student Worker$27,764$13.35

Best paying Chicago Public Schools hospitality/service salaries

RankPositionAverage Chicago Public Schools salaryHourly rate
1Dining Room Manager$56,712$27.27
2Cook$34,387$16.53
3Custodian Worker$32,757$15.75
4Youth Leader$32,451$15.60
5Porter$30,671$14.75
6Room Attendant$29,461$14.16
7Food Service Worker$28,314$13.61
8Bus Aide$26,168$12.58
9Food Prep$26,018$12.51
10Bus Attendant$25,702$12.36

Chicago Public Schools competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at Chicago Public Schools competitors, like Baltimore City Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, and Duval County Public Schools, vary. Baltimore City Public Schools employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $65,378. The average salary at Boston Public Schools is $60,757 per year, and the average salary at Duval County Public Schools is $50,256 per year.

Highest paying Chicago Public Schools competitors

Recently added Chicago Public Schools salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
Early Childhood Self-Contained TeacherKane, IL06/27/2025$48,513
Project Manager, Admissions SupportChicago, IL06/25/2025$65,000
Teacher (Elementary Special Education)Chicago, IL06/24/2025$61,990
Admissions CoordinatorChicago, IL06/21/2025$43,827
Social Worker Long Term SubstituteKane, IL06/19/2025$62,349

What employees say about salary at Chicago Public Schools

Employee reviews
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3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023
Pros of working at Chicago Public Schools

The pay is decent. Working to provide access and equity for students.

Cons of working at Chicago Public Schools

Silos. ineffective or minimal communication

Chicago Public Schools benefits

The holidays off and vacations

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4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2023
Pros of working at Chicago Public Schools

I love my co-workers now

Cons of working at Chicago Public Schools

It can take a while

Chicago Public Schools benefits

Benefits such as healthcare, dental, and vision

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2023
Pros of working at Chicago Public Schools

Salary and benefits are excellent. Professional development opportunities along with the ongoing personalized support provided accelerated my development.

Cons of working at Chicago Public Schools

The workload often became time-consuming and oftentimes extended beyond workday hours.

Chicago Public Schools benefits

My favorite perk was the professional development opportunities the district provided. Additionally, I enjoyed the time-off benefits relative to sick days, personal business days, and vacation days allotted annually, along with a percentage of unused benefit days being redeemable upon separation from the district.

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3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2023
Pros of working at Chicago Public Schools

It's a decent pay rate during the school year depending on the position you have.

Cons of working at Chicago Public Schools

Toileting children with IEPs.

Chicago Public Schools benefits

Automatic vacation time

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Frequently asked questions about Chicago Public Schools salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Chicago Public Schools, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Chicago Public Schools. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Chicago Public Schools. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Chicago Public Schools. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Chicago Public Schools and its employees or that of Zippia.

Chicago Public Schools may also be known as or be related to Chicago Public Schools and City of Chicago School District 299.