Industrial Engineer salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Industrial Engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $101,760 a year ($48.92 an hour), based on BLS data for 12,750 workers.
Pay ranges from $74,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $155,480 for the top 10%. That is 1% lower than the national median of $102,440. Pay here is 1% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $100,540. There are 2.8 industrial engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $107,040, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for industrial engineers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $74,420 | $35.78 |
| 25th percentile | $82,260 | $39.55 |
| Median | $101,760 | $48.92 |
| 75th percentile | $126,580 | $60.86 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $155,480 | $74.75 |
| Average (mean) | $107,040 | $51.46 |
Half of industrial engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,480 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,240 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,913.85 |
| Weekly | $1,956.92 |
| Hourly | $48.92 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Industrial Engineer salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | $117,180 | 1,500 |
| Kokomo, IN | $106,570 | 100 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $105,140 | 5,430 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $104,100 | 1,190 |
| Evansville, IN | $102,980 | 390 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $102,270 | 80 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $102,230 | 2,580 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $100,730 | 2,900 |
| Bloomington, IL | $98,950 | n/a |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $98,650 | 60 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $98,640 | 630 |
| Bloomington, IN | $97,770 | 490 |
| Columbus, IN | $97,480 | 910 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $97,360 | 130 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $96,260 | 580 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $95,370 | 2,000 |
| Kankakee, IL | $94,690 | 80 |
| Rockford, IL | $93,980 | 860 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $93,940 | 340 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $91,880 | 160 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $91,000 | 900 |
| Springfield, IL | $90,680 | 110 |
| Muncie, IN | $83,990 | 150 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $82,390 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for industrial engineers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $156,510 |
| Washington | $129,050 |
| Oregon | $128,290 |
| New Mexico | $128,090 |
| California | $124,600 |
| Hawaii | $123,800 |
| Louisiana | $122,920 |
| Wyoming | $122,070 |
| Delaware | $120,190 |
| Maryland | $119,930 |
See Industrial Engineer pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $100,160 | $48.16 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102,070 | $49.07 |
| Electrical Engineer | $113,520 | $54.58 |
| Engineers, All Other | $121,910 | $58.61 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $133,860 | $64.35 |
| Nuclear Engineer | $134,510 | $64.67 |
| Environmental Engineer | $110,700 | $53.22 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $125,650 | $60.41 |
| Chemical Engineer | $110,760 | $53.25 |
| Materials Engineer | $99,590 | $47.88 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $98,670 | $47.44 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $114,180 | $54.89 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,510 | $64.67 |
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $81,790 | $39.32 |
More: Architecture and Engineering Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-2112. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial engineer make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for industrial engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $101,760 a year, or $48.92 an hour. Pay ranges from $74,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $155,480 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid industrial engineers make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of industrial engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $155,480 a year. The top 25% earn $126,580 or more.
What is the starting pay for industrial engineers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $74,420 a year, and a quarter of industrial engineers earn $82,260 or less.
How many industrial engineers work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 12,750 industrial engineers are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.