Electrical Engineers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $165,890 or more. The middle half of electrical engineers in Chicago earn between $92,320 and $134,330.
- $77K10th
- $92K25th
- $114KMedian
- $134K75th
- $166K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,210 | $9,851 | $56.83 |
| Median | $113,520 | $9,460 | $54.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $92,320 | $7,693 | $44.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $134,330 | $11,194 | $64.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Electrical Engineers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $118,210, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $86,280 a year, or $7,190 a month and $3,318 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $88,474 | $7,373 |
| Working in IL | $86,280 | $7,190 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for electrical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $118,210 buys what about $114,108 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Electrical Engineers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 7 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$118,210
- Decatur$115,720
- Peoria$111,560
- Rockford$106,560
- Champaign$103,970
- Bloomington$103,540
- Springfield$103,480
Highest-paying cities for electrical engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($189,370).
- San Jose, CA$189,370
- San Francisco, CA$162,170
- Albuquerque, NM$158,230
- Austin, TX$157,930
- Manchester, NH$149,130
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Electrical Engineers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do electrical engineers make an hour in Chicago?
$56.83 an hour on average, and $54.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level electrical engineers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $92,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the electrical engineers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $86,280 a year ($7,190 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,210.
Do electrical engineers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($125,905).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2071; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.74, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.74).
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