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Chicago's Resilient Job Market: Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Tech Lead the Way
Chicago’s job market in late 2025 continues to show resilience and gradual expansion, with employment activity reflecting both local strengths and national economic trends. WSIU reports that by August, Chicago’s unemployment rate had dropped to 4.6 percent from the previous year, outpacing the statewide average as job growth remained especially robust compared to other Illinois metro regions. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for workers earning around $50,000 in Chicago is now approximately $53,848, or $25.89 per hour. The largest employers include the City of Chicago’s various departments such as the police, fire, water management, public health, public libraries, and aviation, based on 2025 municipal employment records. The University of Illinois Chicago stands out as one of the most significant contributors to both employment and economic impact, supporting nearly 97,000 jobs across Illinois and providing upward mobility and economic returns for graduates, according to a 2023 Lightcast study.
Manufacturing remains a fundamental component of the metropolitan economy, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlighting manufacturing occupations—such as assemblers, production supervisors, and machinists—among the leading sources of stable employment. Recent trade events like FABTECH 2025 demonstrated ongoing confidence in manufacturing and industrial sectors, drawing tens of thousands of professionals to the city and supporting local business services according to Trade Show Executive. The industrial real estate sector remains robust, as Investcorp’s recent $365 million portfolio sale of Chicago-area logistics and distribution centers signals strong ongoing demand for such facilities due to the city’s role as a pivotal distribution hub. Health care and construction have also shown gains, while technology, logistics, and education continue to expand or maintain strong positions.
Recent developments have included selective growth in supply chain and transportation roles, sparked by ongoing e-commerce demand and urban density making last-mile distribution sites valuable. Chicago’s seasonal workforce patterns typically reflect increased opportunities in hospitality, retail, and events during summer and winter holiday peaks, but core sectors offer more consistent, year-round stability. Commuting trends show persistent use of public transit alongside growing acceptance of hybrid and remote work models, influenced by broader shifts since the pandemic.
Government initiatives in workforce development are aimed at supporting upskilling, vocational training, and public-sector hiring, though program effectiveness is uneven and some data on their newest impacts is not available yet. While some disparities in the recovery remain, especially for lower-wage and service sector positions, the overall market trajectory is positive as unemployment claims statewide recently fell to their lowest levels since July, according to VT Markets.
Major data gaps include up-to-the-month hiring data by industry subsector and granular statistics on the gig economy, but all reliable sources point to a steadily improving market. Notable job openings in late September 2025 include positions for logistics coordinators at a major O’Hare distribution center, registered nurses at UI Health, and data analysts at a technology consulting firm based downtown.
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Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago