Highest-paying management jobs in Chicago

Written by:
January 6, 2023
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

Highest-paying management jobs in Chicago

Not everyone has what it takes to be a manager in today's workplace, and those who do tend to be well compensated.

Workers today are split on how they want to interact with their jobs. Half of workers want to blend their work and their personal lives, while the other roughly 50% prefer to keep them separate, according to Gallup polling. The lion's share want more flexibility in where they perform their work—at a time when businesses may have to buckle in for tougher economic conditions in the year ahead.

Whether overseeing a sales team or leading a commercial building project, these are the challenges that get management professionals out of bed in the morning.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-paying management jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Jobs the BLS lists as "management occupations" were included.

#30. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $64,170
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,810
- Employment: 17,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($108,680)
--- Lexington-Fayette, KY ($108,430)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($105,390)

#29. Lodging managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $66,190
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#28. Social and community service managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $76,080
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,240

National
- Annual mean salary: $76,790
- Employment: 156,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($100,530)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,240)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($98,200)

#27. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $84,000
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,820
- Employment: 12,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

#26. Funeral home managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $86,700
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,900
- Employment: 12,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,760)
--- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ($115,400)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,820)

#25. Emergency management directors

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $90,580
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $84,800
- Employment: 10,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($142,000)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($124,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($123,170)

#24. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $91,290
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,440
- Employment: 5,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($104,810)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($101,650)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($101,610)

#23. Education administrators, postsecondary

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $95,670
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,840

National
- Annual mean salary: $111,260
- Employment: 155,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Corvallis, OR ($178,570)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($165,940)
--- Syracuse, NY ($164,660)

#22. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $105,660
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,080

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,650
- Employment: 274,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($143,450)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,330)

#21. Fundraising managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $108,800
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,400
- Employment: 23,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($175,610)
--- Syracuse, NY ($155,700)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($153,980)

#20. Facilities managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $110,100
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,070

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#19. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $111,800
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,630

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#18. Construction managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $112,720
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,230

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#17. Administrative services managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $114,370
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,700

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,030
- Employment: 224,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($142,650)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($141,950)

#16. Advertising and promotions managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $114,680
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,860
- Employment: 22,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($193,980)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($182,520)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($166,620)

#15. Industrial production managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $125,200
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,440

National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#14. General and operations managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $125,990
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 104,500

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)

#13. Medical and health services managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $130,450
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,300

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#12. Training and development managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $132,900
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,380

National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)

#11. Public relations managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $133,480
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,470

National
- Annual mean salary: $138,000
- Employment: 59,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,410)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($182,890)
--- Boulder, CO ($174,250)

#10. Human resources managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $134,890
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,590

National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)

#9. Purchasing managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $135,270
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,820

National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#8. Natural sciences managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $140,000
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,930

National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)

#7. Compensation and benefits managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $141,340
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#6. Marketing managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $142,720
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 18,600

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#5. Sales managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $146,560
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 23,660

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#4. Financial managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $149,950
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 32,150

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)

#3. Architectural and engineering managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $153,430
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,730

National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#2. Computer and information systems managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $157,220
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,130

National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)

#1. Chief executives

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Annual mean salary: $250,860
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,860

National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)

Trending Now