Materials Engineers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $160,150 or more. The middle half of materials engineers in Chicago earn between $76,220 and $136,520.
- $65K10th
- $76K25th
- $100KMedian
- $137K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $108,990 | $9,082 | $52.40 |
| Median | $99,590 | $8,299 | $47.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,220 | $6,352 | $36.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $136,520 | $11,377 | $65.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Engineers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $108,990, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $80,251 a year, or $6,688 a month and $3,087 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% 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 | $82,265 | $6,855 |
| Working in IL | $80,251 | $6,688 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for materials 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 $108,990 buys what about $105,208 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$97,380
- Lafayette, IN$92,310
- Madison, WI$119,240
- Grand Rapids, MI$93,020
- Fort Wayne, IN$105,260
- Indianapolis, IN$112,680
Highest-paying cities for materials engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($156,740).
- San Jose, CA$156,740
- Seattle, WA$153,780
- Washington, DC$145,070
- Boulder, CO$143,470
- Houston, TX$138,820
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Materials Engineers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do materials engineers make an hour in Chicago?
$52.40 an hour on average, and $47.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials engineers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,220, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials engineers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $80,251 a year ($6,688 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $108,990.
Do materials engineers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($122,532).
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 17-2131; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
- 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 0.38, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.38).
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