Environmental Engineers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $153,150 or more. The middle half of environmental engineers in Chicago earn between $95,470 and $128,790.
- $80K10th
- $95K25th
- $111KMedian
- $129K75th
- $153K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,370 | $9,864 | $56.91 |
| Median | $110,700 | $9,225 | $53.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $95,470 | $7,956 | $45.90 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $128,790 | $10,732 | $61.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Environmental Engineers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $118,370, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $86,385 a year, or $7,199 a month and $3,323 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 | $88,582 | $7,382 |
| Working in IL | $86,385 | $7,199 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for environmental 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 $118,370 buys what about $114,262 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 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.
Environmental Engineers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 2 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$118,370
- Springfield$98,040
Highest-paying cities for environmental engineers
Baton Rouge, LA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($144,100).
- Baton Rouge, LA$144,100
- Kennewick, WA$140,210
- Vallejo, CA$140,040
- Santa Rosa, CA$138,740
- Beaumont, TX$135,550
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Environmental Engineers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do environmental engineers make an hour in Chicago?
$56.91 an hour on average, and $53.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level environmental engineers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $95,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the environmental engineers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $86,385 a year ($7,199 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,370.
Do environmental engineers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,265).
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 17-2081; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- 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 0.59, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.59).
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