Jurisdiction file
City of Chicago employee compensation
In 2026, City of Chicago reported 31,962 employees across 39 departments. The highest-paid distinct record was Michael Mc Murray (Chicago Department of Aviation) at $350,000.
- Latest year
- 2026
- Departments
- 39
- Employees
- 31,962
- Top record
- $350,000
What the records show
Department analytics
Median pay and headcount show where payroll dollars concentrate and which agencies define the jurisdiction’s compensation profile.
Largest departments
The 12 departments employing the most people in 2026. Bar length is headcount. These departments drive most of the payroll and set the overall pay mix.
Highest-paying departments
Departments ranked by median total compensation — the typical employee's pay. High medians usually signal specialized or professional workforces (e.g. medical, legal, or public-safety agencies) rather than across-the-board higher pay.
Department index
Open an agency file
Department pages break down pay distributions, common job titles, and the employees behind the latest published payroll.