Graduate Program Director

Graduate Program Director Salary in Illinois

$33.4K

$62K

$111K

$69,575

/year

$33.45

/hour

Graduate Program Director Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$71,799

Illinois

Illinois

$69,575

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    How much does a Graduate Program Director make in Illinois?

    As of May 28, 2026, the average annual pay for a Graduate Program Director in Illinois is $69,575 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $33.45 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,337/week or $5,797/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $110,954 and as low as $33,431, the majority of Graduate Program Director salaries currently range between $51,400 (25th percentile) to $86,700 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $100,778 annually in Illinois. The average pay range for a Graduate Program Director varies greatly (by as much as 35300), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    Illinois ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Graduate Program Director salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Graduate Program Director jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Graduate Program Director on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Graduate Program Director Jobs in Illinois

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Graduate Program Director job is above the average in Illinois in Illinois. Topping the list is Carol Stream, , with Chicago, and Highland Park, close behind in the second and third positions. Highland Park, beats the average in Illinois by $3,641 (5.2%), and Carol Stream, furthers that trend with another $10,617 (15.3%) above the $69,575 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for Illinois, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Graduate Program Director appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 11% between Carol Stream, and Joliet, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Graduate Program Director role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Carol Stream

    $80,192

    $38.55

    Chicago

    $73,963

    $35.56

    Highland Park

    $73,216

    $35.20

    Deerfield

    $73,015

    $35.10

    Brookfield

    $72,012

    $34.62

    Warrenville

    $71,962

    $34.60

    Rockford

    $71,858

    $34.55

    Aurora

    $71,711

    $34.48

    Montgomery

    $71,439

    $34.35

    Joliet

    $71,279

    $34.27

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Graduate Program Director Jobs in Illinois

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Graduate Program Director job category in Illinois, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $69575 state average for Graduate Program Director jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Director Of Undergraduate Admissions

    $121,128

    $58.23

    Director Of Campus Recreation

    $94,058

    $45.22

    Faculty Instructor

    $68,302

    $32.84

    Education Program Director

    $64,882

    $31.19

    Regional Program Director

    $56,159

    $27.00

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Graduate Program Director salary in Illinois as of May 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $51,400 to $100,778 annually, with the Illinois average at $69,575 per year or $33.45 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Illinois for Graduate Program Director jobs, with Carol Stream leading at $80,192 annually.