How Much Does a Project Lead Make in Chicago, IL ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Project Lead Salary in Chicago, IL

As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Project Lead in Chicago, IL is $103,580, equivalent to $50 per hour, $1,992 weekly, or $8,632 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Project Lead in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Project Lead in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $81,056 to $120,958. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($91,790) and 75th percentile ($112,677), while top earners (90th percentile) make $120,958 per year. This $20,887 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Project Management or PowerPoint, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Chicago Project Lead often earn 1.4% higher than national averages. However, Chicago currently ranks 249 statewide for Project Lead job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

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Project Lead Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Project Lead Salary $81,056 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Project Lead Salary $91,790 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Project Lead Salary $103,580 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Project Lead Salary $112,677 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Project Lead Salary $120,958 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
25% $91,790 10% $81,056 90% $120,958 75% $112,677 $103,580 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Project Lead jobs in Chicago, Illinois

Lead Project / Program Manager (Infrastructure)

The Judge Group - Chicago, IL

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Lead Project Manager (IT PMO)

The Judge Group - Chicago, IL

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Lead Project Manager (PPM/Planview)

The Judge Group - Chicago, IL

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Project Manager

F.E. Moran Group of Companies - Northbrook, IL

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What is a Project Lead ?

Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria at the specified time. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in project documentation, created at the beginning of the development process. The primary constraints are scope, time, quality and budget. The secondary – and more ambitious – challenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and apply th...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Project Lead in Chicago, IL

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Project Manager II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Project Lead

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Project Manager IV

    7 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Project Lead, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
91790
112677
103580

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
98180
123665
109729
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Project Lead in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Project Lead ranges from $91,790 to $112,677 with the average base salary of $103,580. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $98,180 to $123,665 with the average total cash compensation of $109,729.

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91790
112677

 

About Chicago, Illinois    Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third mos....More

Chicago, Illinois  area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago

Project Lead Salary in popular cities: Aurora, Rockford, Joliet

Skills associated with Project Lead: Design, Planning, RISK, Scope

Recently searched related titles: Conservation Project Manager, Customer Project Specialist, Elevator Manager

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

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