How much does an engineer make in Chicago?
$121,900a year
Median yearly pay for engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $58.61 an hour or $10,160 a month.
- Hourly
- $58.61
- Vs. national median
- -1%
- Rank among cities
- 68 of 248
- Jobs in the area
- 1,570
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $61,860Median: $121,900Highest 10%: $172,300
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $61,860 | $29.74 | |
| 25th | $85,050 | $40.89 | |
| Median | $121,900 | $58.61 | |
| 75th | $150,100 | $72.16 | |
| 90th | $172,300 | $82.82 |
Other cities in Illinois
Median yearly pay for engineers.
| Peoria, IL | $114,800 |
| Davenport, IA | $104,100 |
| St. Louis, MO | $103,900 |
| Bloomington, IL | $99,930 |
| Champaign, IL | $83,230 |
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 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $114,200 |
| Electrical Engineer | $113,500 |
| Chemical Engineer | $110,800 |
| Environmental Engineer | $110,700 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102,100 |
| Industrial Engineer | $101,800 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an engineer make an hour in Chicago?
The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $58.61 ($121,900 a year).
Do engineers make more in Chicago than the national average?
No: $121,900 against $122,900 nationally, 1% less.
How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?
The median in Illinois is $111,900, so Chicago pays 9% more.
Where does Chicago rank for engineer pay?
68 of 248 metro areas with data.
How much does an engineer make starting out in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% make $61,860 or less a year; the top 10% make $172,300 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.