Rockford Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Rockford, IL: $22.65/hr median hourly wage, $47,120 median annual salary, cost of living index 82, and $15.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Illinois taxes.
Rockford Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Rockford, IL is $22.65/hr,and the median annual wage is $47,120. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.04/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $32.16/hr, and the local minimum wage is $15.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rockford, IL metropolitan statistical area (137,650 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Rockford shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$47,120
$22.65/hr
Cost of Living
82
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$15.00
per hour
Unemployment
5.2%
rate
Rockford, IL Overview
Population
148,655
Median Salary
$47,120
Average Salary
$61,020
Avg Commute
22 min
Median Home Price
$130,000
Median Rent
$900/mo
Job Growth
+0.8%
Sales Tax
8.63%
Rockford is located in Illinois with a population of 148,655. The median annual wage across all occupations is $47,120 ($22.65/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Rockford, IL metro), which is $3,860 below 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 22 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.8%.
Rockford Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Rockford, IL built around the $47,120 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rockford, IL 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 | $29,214 | $14.04/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $47,120 | $22.65/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $66,910 | $32.16/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $83,874 | $40.32/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.
Rockford Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Rockford, IL, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$37,708
$3,142.37/month · $1,450.33/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.0%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,450.33 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
$47,120
Federal Tax
-$3,474
State Tax
-$2,332
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,605
Net Pay
$37,708
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,926.67 | $47,120.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$289.53 | -$3,474.40 |
| Illinois State Tax (4.95% eff.) | -$194.37 | -$2,332.44 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$243.45 | -$2,921.44 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$56.94 | -$683.24 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,142.37 | $37,708.48 |
Salary Comparison: Rockford vs Other Cities
See how Rockford's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $47,120 | 82 | $57,463 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Roanoke, VA | $47,140 | 88 | $53,568 |
| Lufkin, TX | $47,148 | 87.7 | $53,761 |
| Quincy, IL | $47,156 | 93.9 | $50,219 |
| Knoxville, TN | $47,080 | 88 | $53,500 |
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 Rockford
Rockford's cost of living index is 82 (national average = 100). Living in Rockford is 18% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$130,000
Median Monthly Rent
$900
Annual Rent Cost
$10,800
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $37,708 annual take-home pay in Rockford has the purchasing power of approximately $45,986 in an average-cost US area. Your $47,120 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Rockford
Rockford's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $47,120.
Salary Tips for Rockford Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Rockford has a cost of living 18% below the national average. A salary of $47,120 here has the purchasing power of about $57,463 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Rockford's top industries include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Aerospace. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $47,120 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
Romeoville
Round Lake Beach
Schaumburg
Skokie
Springfield
St. Charles
Streamwood
Tinley Park
Urbana
Waukegan
Wheaton
Wheeling
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Rockford salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Rockford, IL 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 Rockford indexed at 82.
- Median salary: $47,120 annual, $22.65 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rockford, IL MSA (137,650 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $61,020 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Rockford was $48,000.
- Tax burden reflects Illinois 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.95%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.63%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Rockford: 5.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Aerospace, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Illinois.
- Housing context: median home price $130,000, median rent $900/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Rockford, IL:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Rockford unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Rockford 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. Rockford'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
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Rockford, IL?
The median hourly wage in Rockford, IL is $22.65 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Rockford, IL metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $47,120. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.04/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $32.16/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Rockford, IL?
The median salary in Rockford, IL is $47,120 per year, or $22.65 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Rockford, IL metro area). The BLS mean salary is $61,020. This is $3,860 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Rockford, IL?
Rockford's cost of living index is 82 (national average = 100), meaning it is 18% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $130,000 and the median monthly rent is $900.
What are the best industries in Rockford?
The top industries in Rockford, IL include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Aerospace. The city has a job growth rate of 0.8% and an unemployment rate of 5.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $47,120.
How does Rockford's salary compare to other cities?
Rockford's median salary of $47,120 is 7.6% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 82), the real purchasing power is approximately $57,463.
What is the minimum wage in Rockford, IL?
The minimum wage in Rockford, 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.