Illinois Pay Stub Generator -- Free

Illinois has the fifth-largest economy in the United States, dominated by Chicago's position as the financial capital of the Midwest. The Chicago metropolitan area houses the headquarters of dozens of Fortune 500 companies including Boeing, Caterpillar, Abbott Laboratories, and Archer Daniels Midland. Illinois also has significant manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation industries that employ workers across the state's 102 counties -- from the steel-adjacent industries in Gary's suburbs to the corn and soybean farms of central Illinois to the tech startups clustered in Chicago's River North and West Loop neighborhoods.

Illinois uses a flat state income tax rate of 4.95% on all income, which means your state tax withholding is straightforward to calculate -- no bracket lookups required. Chicago does not impose an additional local income tax. This generator calculates your Illinois state tax, all federal taxes, and produces a professional pay stub PDF instantly.

Illinois Income Tax Rates

Illinois uses a flat income tax rate of 4.95% on all taxable income, regardless of amount. This has been the rate since 2017, when Illinois raised it from the previous 3.75% flat rate as part of a budget compromise. Illinois voters rejected a graduated income tax amendment in 2020, so the flat rate structure remains in effect.

The flat rate means that a Chicago hotel housekeeper earning $35,000 and a Loop attorney earning $500,000 pay the same percentage of their income to the state -- 4.95%. Critics argue this is regressive; supporters argue it is simpler and more predictable.

Chicago does not impose an additional city-level income tax on wages, unlike New York City or Philadelphia. However, Chicago workers face the nation's highest combined sales tax rate (10.25%) and significant property taxes, even though neither appears on a pay stub.

Illinois also imposes its own estate tax (starting at $4 million), but that is irrelevant to pay stub calculation. For payroll purposes, your Illinois deductions are:

• Illinois state income tax: 4.95% of gross wages
• Federal income tax: Graduated brackets, 10% to 37%
• Social Security: 6.2% up to $168,600 (2024)
• Medicare: 1.45% of all wages

Does Illinois Require Pay Stubs?

Yes. Under 820 ILCS 115/10 (the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act), employers must provide employees with an itemized statement of deductions with each payment of wages. The law requires that this statement show all amounts deducted from wages.

Illinois enforcement is handled by the Illinois Department of Labor. Employers who fail to provide wage statements can face civil penalties and are liable for attorneys' fees in successful employee lawsuits. The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act allows employees to recover all unpaid wages plus a penalty of 2% of unpaid wages per month and attorneys' fees.

For gig workers, independent contractors, and self-employed Illinoisans, no employer generates these stubs -- making this generator essential for income documentation.

Pay Stub Requirements in Illinois

Illinois law requires employers to provide an itemized deduction statement, which in practice means a standard pay stub. The required elements include:

• Gross wages earned for the pay period
• All deductions made from wages, specifically itemized by type
• Net wages paid
• Pay period dates
• Employee and employer identification

Illinois also prohibits certain deductions that some employers have attempted to make. Employers cannot deduct for damaged property, cash register shortages, or tool costs in ways that bring wages below minimum wage. Any deduction beyond taxes and standard benefits must be authorized in writing by the employee and must benefit the employee.

Pay Frequency Laws in Illinois

The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115/3) requires that all employers pay wages at least semi-monthly, with payments due within 13 days of the end of the pay period. This applies to all non-exempt workers. For most Chicago-area workers, pay periods run from the 1st to 15th of the month and from the 16th to the end of the month, with payment due within 13 days after each period ends.

Illinois does not have separate pay frequency rules for different worker types (unlike New York's weekly requirement for manual workers). All employees are subject to the same semi-monthly minimum.

Final wages upon termination must be paid at the next regularly scheduled payday. Illinois does not require immediate final payment upon termination as California does, but payment must not be delayed beyond the next regular payday.

Illinois's Major Industries and Pay Documentation Needs

Finance and professional services in Chicago: The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, and numerous financial institutions employ traders, analysts, and support staff. Many financial professionals in Chicago work as independent contractors for trading firms or on temporary contracts between positions. During transitions, they need pay stub documentation for housing in Chicago's competitive market.

Manufacturing: Illinois has a significant manufacturing base including aerospace (Boeing's HQ is in Chicago), agricultural equipment (Caterpillar is headquartered in Deerfield), food processing, and steel. Factory workers often have complex pay stubs with multiple earning types including regular pay, overtime, shift differentials, and production bonuses. Generating stubs that accurately reflect this complexity helps workers document their true income.

Transportation hub workers: Chicago is the largest railroad hub in North America and home to O'Hare International Airport. Truckers, rail workers, and airport employees represent a significant workforce category. Many truckers are owner-operators who need to document income for commercial vehicle financing, home mortgages, or apartment applications.

Healthcare: Illinois has a massive healthcare sector, with major hospital systems including Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of Chicago Medicine. Many healthcare workers -- nurses, technicians, therapists -- work through agencies or have multiple PRN (as-needed) positions. Generating stubs based on aggregate earnings from multiple sources is a common need.

What a Illinois Paycheck Looks Like -- A Worked Example

A manufacturing worker earning $55,000 per year in Illinois on a bi-weekly schedule ($2,115 gross per check) pays: $105 in Illinois income tax (4.95% flat rate), $131 in Social Security (6.2%), $31 in Medicare (1.45%) -- net take-home approximately $1,670 per paycheck.

2024 minimum wage in Illinois: $14.00/hr (2024). Chicago and Cook County have a higher local minimum -- Chicago's minimum wage is $15.80/hr for employers with 21 or more employees.

Frequently Asked Questions for Illinois Workers

Illinois has a flat 4.95% tax rate. Does that make my state withholding exactly 4.95% of gross pay?

Approximately, but not exactly. Illinois withholding uses the flat 4.95% rate, but applies it to net taxable income after certain adjustments like personal exemptions ($2,425 per allowance claimed on your IL-W-4). For standard full-time workers, the effective rate on gross pay is close to but slightly below 4.95% because of the personal exemption offset. The calculator uses an approximation that will be accurate for most workers. For precise withholding, refer to the Illinois Department of Revenue's IL-W-4 instructions.

Is there any Chicago-specific income tax I need to worry about?

No. Chicago does not impose a local income tax on wages or salary. This is different from New York City (which adds 3.076%-3.876%) or Philadelphia (which adds city tax for residents and non-residents working there). A Chicago worker's pay stub shows only the state 4.95% and federal taxes -- no city income tax line. Chicago does have a municipal transaction tax on certain services and a lease tax, but these do not affect employee wage income.

I work in Chicago but live in Indiana. Do I owe Illinois income tax?

Yes, if you work in Illinois, you owe Illinois income tax on income earned in Illinois, regardless of where you live. Illinois and Indiana are not reciprocal states for income tax purposes, which means you may need to file tax returns in both states. Indiana will give you a credit for taxes paid to Illinois, so you generally do not pay double tax on the same income. Your Illinois employer will withhold Illinois income tax; you will also need to file and potentially pay Indiana tax (at Indiana's 3.05% flat rate) on your worldwide income. Consult a tax professional for your specific cross-state situation.

My Illinois employer pays me with a paper check and no stub. What can I do?

You have the right to an itemized deduction statement under Illinois law. File a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) online or by calling 312-793-2800 (Chicago) or 217-782-6206 (Springfield). The IDOL investigates wage violations and can require your employer to comply and pay penalties. In the meantime, generating your own stubs based on your actual gross pay (calculated from your check amounts plus any known deductions) can serve as temporary income documentation, though you should note these are self-generated when submitting them to landlords or lenders.

Does Illinois have any state-level paid leave programs that appear on pay stubs?

Illinois enacted the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, effective January 1, 2024, which requires all employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid leave annually. However, this is a paid leave entitlement -- not a deduction from employee wages. It is an employer cost, not an employee payroll deduction. It will not appear on your pay stub as a withholding. Illinois does not have state disability insurance or paid family leave programs funded through employee payroll deductions like California, New York, or New Jersey do. This means Illinois workers have fewer automatic payroll deductions but also fewer state-funded leave programs.

Related Tools

For workers in nearby states, see the Indiana pay stub generator (lower flat rate at 3.05%), the Wisconsin pay stub generator (graduated rates), or the Missouri pay stub generator. For generating stubs in the right template format, see our free pay stub template page.