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Cook County, IL jobs, unemployment and layoffs

Cook County’s unemployment rate is 5.9%. Employers filed 49 layoff notices here in the last 12 months. 9,853 open professional jobs are in its cities.

Cook County economy

  • 5.9%

    unemployment, Aug 2026

    4.7% the month before

  • 2,707,833

    in the labor force

    Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics

  • 5,185,812

    people in Cook County

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau

  • $81,797

    median household income

    Source: Census ACS

  • 46%

    of workers in white-collar occupations

    Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS

Cook County layoffs

  • 49

    WARN layoff notices, last 12 months

  • 8,651

    workers named

    A floor: states may leave out counts

  • 41

    employers

WARN notices filed in Cook County, newest first
Notice dateEmployerCity or countyWorkersTypeSource
Success Lending, LLCSchaumburg121ClosureState record
Volante of Arlington HeightsArlington Heights61—State record
Uber Technologies, Inc.Chicago363—State record
Fulton Troika, LLCChicago109ClosureState record
TV Hardware Distribution, LLCChicago116ClosureState record
Silver Star Protection GroupRolling Meadows64—State record
SCR Medical Transportation LLCChicago241—State record
Simon Bros. Bakery, LLCSkokie89ClosureState record
Techmer PM, LLCElk Grove Village68ClosureState record
Republic National Distributing Company, LLCNiles180ClosureState record
Eklind Tool Co.Franklin Park112ClosureState record
MDMartin LLCMatteson160—State record
WargamingChicago29—State record
KLEO Community Family Life CenterChicago65ClosureState record
IRON GALAXY STUDIOS LLCChicago48—State record

All layoff notices in the state

Employers hiring most in Cook County

Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.

  1. Confidential116 open roles
  2. Mars81 open roles
  3. Arthur J. Gallagher79 open roles
  4. Gallagher Bassett74 open roles
  5. Gallagher72 open roles
  6. West Monroe71 open roles
  7. PwC69 open roles
  8. UL Solutions68 open roles
  9. Michael Page67 open roles
  10. Amazon65 open roles

Largest employers headquartered in Cook County

Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.

Colleges in Cook County

Colleges in Cook County
CollegeCityTypeStudents
DePaul UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year20,000+
Northwestern UniversityEvanstonPrivate nonprofit 4-year20,000+
University of Illinois ChicagoChicagoPublic 4-year20,000+
Loyola University ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year10,000–19,999
University of ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year10,000–19,999
Columbia College ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year5,000–9,999
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year5,000–9,999
National Louis UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year5,000–9,999
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicagoPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Adler UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Chicago State UniversityChicagoPublic 4-year1,000–4,999
Concordia University-ChicagoRiver ForestPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Dominican UniversityRiver ForestPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Moody Bible InstituteChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
North Park UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Roosevelt UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Rush UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
Saint Xavier UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
School of the Art Institute of ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
The Chicago School at ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-year1,000–4,999
American Islamic CollegeChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc.ChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Catholic Theological Union at ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Chicago Theological SeminaryChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
East-West UniversityChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Erikson InstituteChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Garrett-Evangelical Theological SeminaryEvanstonPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Hebrew Theological CollegeSkokiePrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Illinois College of OptometryChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Institute for Clinical Social WorkChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Lutheran School of Theology at ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
McCormick Theological SeminaryChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Meadville Theological School of Lombard CollegeChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Spertus CollegeChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
St. Augustine CollegeChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Telshe Yeshiva-ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Toyota Technological Institute at ChicagoChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
Trinity Christian CollegePalos HeightsPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000
VanderCook College of MusicChicagoPrivate nonprofit 4-yearUnder 1,000

Job fairs and business events in Cook County

Hiring events, career workshops and business events in and around Cook County.

Conferences in Cook County

Industry conferences and trade shows held in Cook County. 62 with dates announced.

  • CoreNet Global North America Summit

    Oct 26 to Oct 28, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $1,205 to $2,835. Member end-user $1,205 early, $1,480 regular, $1,590 late; member service provider $1,690-2,107;…

  • The Quality Show

    Oct 27 to Oct 29, 2026 · Rosemont, IL

    Paid ticket. Rates page not read; press passes free for approved media.

  • Booth-Kellogg ETA Conference

    Oct 30, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $125 to $200. Student $125 (.edu email); Booth & Kellogg alumni $150; general admission $200.

  • Becker's Fall Payer Issues Roundtable

    Nov 2 to Nov 3, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $2,500 to $6,500. Payer, provider, health plan and ACO staff $2,500; vendors $6,500.

  • FIA Futures & Options Expo

    Nov 2 to Nov 4, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $1,220 to $1,570. Full conference onsite rates: member $1,220, non-member $1,570. Single day $675 / $860; Exhibits Plus…

  • AECT International Convention

    Nov 3 to Nov 7, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Paid ticket. Early bird closed Aug 18; late registration closes Nov 6.

    Open call for speakers

  • InStore Ignite

    Nov 10 to Nov 12, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $149 to $1,499. CPG brands and retailers $149 early bird (ended July 24), $249 regular; solution providers/agencies (P2PI…

  • PLMA Private Label Trade Show

    Nov 15 to Nov 17, 2026 · Rosemont, IL

    Apply to attend. Visitors use a 'Request to Attend' form; no fee stated.

  • AHF Live: The Affordable Housing Developers Summit

    Nov 16 to Nov 18, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Paid ticket. Advance rate ended Aug 28; prices not read.

  • Product Marketing Summit Chicago

    Nov 18 to Nov 19, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Paid ticket. Prices not listed on the events page (brochure on request).

    Open call for speakers

  • IASB/IASA/IASBO Joint Annual Conference

    Nov 20 to Nov 22, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Paid ticket. Early-bird for IASB members ended Oct 15; pricing not captured.

  • RSNA Annual Meeting

    Nov 29 to Dec 3, 2026 · Chicago, IL

    Ticket $485 to $2,525. Non-member in-person only from $485 (trainees) to $2,525; industry non-member $1,885; exhibits-only $730.

Showing 12 of 81 conferences, 62 with dates announced.

All conferences

Workforce development and job centers

The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Cook County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.

  • American Job Center at the King Center

    Chicago · Comprehensive · 773-538-5627

    Monday 08:30-17:00, Tuesday 08:30-17:00, Wednesday 08:30-17:00, Thursday 08:30-17:00, Friday 08:30-17:00,

  • American Job Center at Truman College

    Chicago · Comprehensive

    Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

  • American Job Center in Pilsen

    Chicago · Comprehensive · 312-994-8305

    Monday 08:30-17:00, Tuesday 08:30-17:00, Wednesday 08:30-17:00, Thursday 08:30-17:00, Friday 08:30-17:00

  • American Job Center Kennedy King at College

    Chicago · Affiliate · 773-572-2049

    Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm

  • Southwest American Job Center at Daley College

    Chicago · Affiliate · 773-884-7000

    Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

  • The American Job Center at Malcolm X College West Campus

    Chicago · Affiliate · 773-722-3885

    Monday - Thursday 8:30AM - 5:00PM Fridays 8:30am-3pm

  • South Suburban Cook County American Job Center at Prairie State College

    Chicago Heights · Comprehensive

    Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30

  • Workforce Development Division - Gail Borden Library

    Elgin · Affiliate · 847-742-2411

    Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM

  • American Job Center in Maywood

    Maywood · Affiliate · 708-223-2652

    Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00

  • American Job Center in North Riverside

    North Riverside · Affiliate · 708-222-3100

    8:30am -5:00pm Monday - Friday

  • Safer Foundation (South Holland)

    South Holland · Affiliate · 708-596-0037

    Monday -Friday 8:30AM - 4:30PM (Open by appointment only due to COVID-19)

  • American Job Center in Wheeling

    Wheeling Illinois · Comprehensive · 847-484-8187

    Monday 08:30-17:00, Tuesday 08:30-17:00, Wednesday 08:30-17:00, Thursday 08:30-17:00, Friday 08:30-17:00

Cities in Cook County

Other Illinois counties

All of Illinois

Laid off or looking for work in Cook County?

See what to do first and the jobs open near you.

See your options after a layoff

Sources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); WARN notices from Illinois’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers.