Salary guide, May 2025
Applications Engineer pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Engineers, All Other in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $121,910 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $85,050 and $150,090.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $1,020 below the national median of $122,930, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $61,860 | $85,050 | $121,910 | $150,090 | $172,260 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29.74 | $40.89 | $58.61 | $72.16 | $82.82 |
BLS estimated 1,570 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 0.35.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $66,810 | $90,970 | $122,930 | $158,090 | $189,950 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.12 | $43.73 | $59.10 | $76.01 | $91.32 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Applications Engineer median is $121,910. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 2.23 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.35 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $83,840 | $117,980 | $139,980 |
| May 2025 | $85,050 | $121,910 | $150,090 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $104,490 | $58,560 to $118,340 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $106,320 | $88,410 to $130,600 |