SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + IL
COL Index: 125.81 (+25.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.2% Realized
$36,287 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $48,230 $23.19/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.76% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,049 $348.05/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $23.19 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,894/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$347/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,260
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,990
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$699
Illinois Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,099
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$36,287 ($1,395.65 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $48,230
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.4k 25th $41.6k Median: $48,230 50th (Median) $48.2k 75th $60.3k 90th $77.3k You: $48,230
10th (Entry) $36,370 $17.49/hr
25th (Junior) $41,620 $20.01/hr
50th (Median) $48,230 $23.19/hr
75th (Senior) $60,340 $29.01/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $77,320 $37.17/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$31,776$15.28/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$45,678$21.96/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$61,566$29.60/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$81,426$39.15/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
59% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,780/month Requires minimum annual gross of $71,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,011/month Requires minimum annual gross of $80,440
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.82/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.26/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$48,230-$9,049$36,287$1,395.65
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$57,273-$11,182$42,655$1,640.57
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$66,316-$13,315$49,023$1,885.49
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$75,359-$15,881$54,957$2,113.72
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$84,403-$18,864$60,475$2,325.95
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Illinois tax codes.

Market Baseline
$48,230/yr
$23.19/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
18.76% Effective
-$9,049 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
59% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,244/mo
Post-$1,780/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-9061
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN report a median annual wage of $48,230, 0.7% below the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,370 to $77,320, and HUD’s $1,780 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 44.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.82 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+90.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+59.2%
Savannah, GA$72,800+50.9%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+49.2%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+48.2%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+41.1%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+36.5%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+32.5%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+31.8%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+31.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$344,960$165.85/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,760$83.54/hr
Financial Manager$168,810$81.16/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$167,040$80.31/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$166,390$80.00/hr
Marketing Managers$165,340$79.49/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,430$78.57/hr
Sales Managers$158,690$76.29/hr
Human Resources Managers$156,770$75.37/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$155,340$74.68/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $48,230 a year ($23.19/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

The median annual wage is $48,230 ($23.19 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,370 and $77,320. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN after taxes?

On the median wage of $48,230, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $38,690 a year ($3,224 a month) after $9,540 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.78%, using 2026 tax rules.