Physical therapist · Chicago, IL

Physical therapist in Chicago: $2,856/mo left

BLS OEWS May 2025 puts the median physical therapist wage in Chicago at $105,720 a year. About 7,880 physical therapist jobs are in the metro. The job is about the same share of local employment as nationwide (location quotient 1.02). The 10th percentile is $85,220 and the 90th is $142,320. Pay ranks 71st-highest of 384 metros with a published median for this job. Pay is 4.9× a year of one-bedroom rent ($1,782/mo). Illinois charges a 4.95% flat income tax. At this pay, one adult in a one-bedroom keeps $2,856 a month after tax and rent. The best nearby metro for this job is Decatur, about 144 miles away, at $4,941 left over a month.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

After tax and rent

$2,856

1 adult, 1 bd

Pay

$105,720

$85,220 to $142,320

Rent (1 bd)

$1,782

$2,122 (2 bd)

Employment

7,880

Location quotient 1.02

Pay rank

71st of 384

Metros with a published median

Pay vs rent

4.9×

Annual pay ÷ a year of 1 bd rent

Where the money goes

1 adult, 1 bd, physical therapist pay of $105,720.

Taxes$2,301
Rent$1,782
Other$1,871
Left$2,856

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $105,720
Federal income tax: −$14,428
Social Security and Medicare: −$8,088
State income tax (IL): −$5,096
Take-home pay: $78,108
Effective tax rate: 26.1%

Living costs, per month

Rent, 1br: $1,782
Groceries: $408
Getting around: $392
Healthcare: $459
Utilities and internet: $255
Everything else: $357
Total spending: $3,653

After tax and rent

$2,856 left/mo

Rank every metro for a physical therapist

Same job. Local pay. After tax and rent. Best nearby: Decatur, $4,941/mo.

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Questions

What does a physical therapist make in Chicago?

$105,720 a year. That figure is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the metro. About 7,880 physical therapist jobs are in the metro.

What is left after tax and rent for a physical therapist in Chicago?

$2,856 a month for one adult in a one-bedroom. Illinois charges a 4.95% flat income tax Rent is $1,782, and pay covers 4.9× a year of it.

Where nearby would a physical therapist keep more?

Decatur, about 144 miles away, leaves $4,941 a month, more than Chicago.