Aurora Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Aurora, IL: $26.31/hr median hourly wage, $54,720 median annual salary, cost of living index 95, and $15.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Illinois taxes.
Aurora Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Aurora, IL is $26.31/hr,and the median annual wage is $54,720. Entry-level pay estimates around $16.31/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $37.36/hr, and the local minimum wage is $15.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area (4,513,280 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Aurora shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$54,720
$26.31/hr
Cost of Living
95
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$15.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.8%
rate
Aurora, IL Overview
Population
180,542
Median Salary
$54,720
Average Salary
$73,380
Avg Commute
32 min
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Rent
$1,350/mo
Job Growth
+1.5%
Sales Tax
8.25%
Aurora is located in Illinois with a population of 180,542. The median annual wage across all occupations is $54,720 ($26.31/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro), which is $3,740 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 32 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.5%.
Aurora Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Aurora, IL built around the $54,720 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $33,926 | $16.31/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $54,720 | $26.31/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $77,702 | $37.36/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $97,402 | $46.83/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Aurora Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Aurora, IL, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$43,439
$3,619.91/month · $1,670.73/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.6%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,670.73 take-home per paycheck after estimated Illinois and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$54,720
Federal Tax
-$4,386
State Tax
-$2,709
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,186
Net Pay
$43,439
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,560.00 | $54,720.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$365.53 | -$4,386.40 |
| Illinois State Tax (4.95% eff.) | -$225.72 | -$2,708.64 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$282.72 | -$3,392.64 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$66.12 | -$793.44 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,619.91 | $43,438.88 |
Salary Comparison: Aurora vs Other Cities
See how Aurora's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, IL | $54,720 | 95 | $57,600 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Chicago, IL | $54,720 | 107 | $51,140 |
| Joliet, IL | $54,720 | 90 | $60,800 |
| Naperville, IL | $54,720 | 118 | $46,373 |
| Elgin, IL | $54,720 | 95 | $57,600 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Aurora
Aurora's cost of living index is 95 (national average = 100). Living in Aurora is 5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Annual Rent Cost
$16,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $43,439 annual take-home pay in Aurora has the purchasing power of approximately $45,725 in an average-cost US area. Your $54,720 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Aurora
Aurora's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $54,720.
Salary Tips for Aurora Workers
- Research top industries. Aurora's top industries include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Technology. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $54,720 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Illinois
Bartlett
Belleville
Berwyn
Bloomington
Bolingbrook
Buffalo Grove
Burbank
Calumet City
Carol Stream
Carpentersville
Champaign
Chicago
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Aurora salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Aurora indexed at 95.
- Median salary: $54,720 annual, $26.31 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN MSA (4,513,280 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $73,380 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Aurora was $65,000.
- Tax burden reflects Illinois 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.95%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.25%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Aurora: 3.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Technology, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Illinois.
- Housing context: median home price $260,000, median rent $1,350/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Aurora, IL:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Aurora unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Aurora QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Illinois, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Aurora's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Illinois labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Aurora, IL?
The median hourly wage in Aurora, IL is $26.31 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $54,720. Entry-level workers are estimated around $16.31/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $37.36/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Aurora, IL?
The median salary in Aurora, IL is $54,720 per year, or $26.31 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area). The BLS mean salary is $73,380. This is $3,740 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Aurora, IL?
Aurora's cost of living index is 95 (national average = 100), meaning it is 5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $260,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,350.
What are the best industries in Aurora?
The top industries in Aurora, IL include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Technology. The city has a job growth rate of 1.5% and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $54,720.
How does Aurora's salary compare to other cities?
Aurora's median salary of $54,720 is 7.3% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 95), the real purchasing power is approximately $57,600.
What is the minimum wage in Aurora, IL?
The minimum wage in Aurora, IL is $15.00 per hour. This equals approximately $31,200 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $7.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.