How much does a civil engineer make in Chicago?
$100,200a year
Median yearly pay for civil engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $48.15 an hour or $8,347 a month.
- Hourly
- $48.15
- Vs. national median
- -1%
- Rank among cities
- 110 of 373
- Jobs in the area
- 9,760
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $74,130Median: $100,200Highest 10%: $159,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $74,130 | $35.64 | |
| 25th | $80,020 | $38.47 | |
| Median | $100,200 | $48.15 | |
| 75th | $126,600 | $60.85 | |
| 90th | $159,900 | $76.89 |
Other cities in Illinois
Median yearly pay for civil engineers.
| Springfield, IL | $105,800 |
| Paducah, KY | $101,000 |
| Champaign, IL | $98,910 |
| Bloomington, IL | $97,070 |
| St. Louis, MO | $96,830 |
| Decatur, IL | $96,170 |
| Peoria, IL | $95,140 |
| Rockford, IL | $94,850 |
| Davenport, IA | $92,950 |
Related jobs in Chicago
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,500 |
| Nuclear Engineer | $134,500 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $133,900 |
| Electronics Engineer | $125,700 |
| Engineer | $121,900 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $114,200 |
| Electrical Engineer | $113,500 |
| Chemical Engineer | $110,800 |
| Environmental Engineer | $110,700 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102,100 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make an hour in Chicago?
The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $48.15 ($100,200 a year).
Do civil engineers make more in Chicago than the national average?
No: $100,200 against $100,800 nationally, 1% less.
How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?
The median in Illinois is $99,760, so Chicago pays 0% more.
Where does Chicago rank for civil engineer pay?
110 of 373 metro areas with data.
How much does a civil engineer make starting out in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% make $74,130 or less a year; the top 10% make $159,900 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.