Mechanical Engineers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $157,720 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Chicago earn between $83,140 and $130,310.
- $67K10th
- $83K25th
- $102KMedian
- $130K75th
- $158K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $109,570 | $9,131 | $52.68 |
| Median | $102,070 | $8,506 | $49.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $83,140 | $6,928 | $39.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $130,310 | $10,859 | $62.65 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $109,570, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $80,630 a year, or $6,719 a month and $3,101 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 | $82,655 | $6,888 |
| Working in IL | $80,630 | $6,719 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for mechanical 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 $109,570 buys what about $105,768 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 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.
Mechanical Engineers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 2nd of 7 Illinois metro areas for this job; Peoria pays the most ($130,540).
- Peoria$130,540
- Chicago$109,570
- Springfield$106,770
- Bloomington$103,620
- Rockford$102,610
- Champaign$102,530
- Kankakee$90,190
Highest-paying cities for mechanical engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($165,920).
- San Jose, CA$165,920
- San Francisco, CA$158,690
- Santa Cruz, CA$139,810
- Augusta, GA$137,040
- Baton Rouge, LA$136,970
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Mechanical Engineers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Chicago?
$52.68 an hour on average, and $49.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $80,630 a year ($6,719 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $109,570.
Do mechanical engineers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,695).
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 17-2141; 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 0.80, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.80).
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