Paycheck Atlas

Mechanical Engineers salary in Chicago, IL

The median mechanical engineers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $102,070 a year, 2% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $6,299 a month.

10th percentile
$66,900
25th percentile
$83,140
Median percentile
$102,070
75th percentile
$130,310
90th percentile
$157,720

Based on 6,900 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$75,584 take-home a year
Gross pay$102,070
Federal income tax−$13,625
Social Security + Medicare−$7,808
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$5,052
Monthly take-home$6,299
Every two weeks$2,907

Does it go far here?

$98,528Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
23%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,430 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Chicago, IL

JobMedian pay
Chief Executives$344,960
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$284,630
Nurse Anesthetists$265,880
Psychiatrists$258,750
Emergency Medicine Physicians$239,200
General Internal Medicine Physicians$226,060
Family Medicine Physicians$225,080

All mechanical engineers salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois