Salary guide, May 2025
Industrial 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.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Industrial Engineers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $101,760 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $82,260 and $126,580.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $680 below the national median of $102,440, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,420 | $82,260 | $101,760 | $126,580 | $155,480 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.78 | $39.55 | $48.92 | $60.86 | $74.75 |
BLS estimated 12,750 workers employed in this occupation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Location quotient: 1.2.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 | $159,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.76 | $40.19 | $49.25 | $62.14 | $76.85 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Industrial Engineer median is $101,760. The all-occupations median in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $54,720. Ratio: 1.86 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.2 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 | $81,230 | $100,940 | $123,820 |
| May 2025 | $82,260 | $101,760 | $126,580 |
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 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, 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 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | $94,690 | $76,340 to $113,940 |
| Niles, MI | $92,820 | $76,350 to $112,910 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters evaluates the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, region where Industrial Engineers (SOC 17-2112) represent an employment count of 12750. 2, suggesting an above-average concentration of these engineers compared to the nation. The current median annual wage is $101,760, marking a medianChange of 820 from the May 2024 value of $100,940.
This minimal change suggests steady, predictable salary growth in the metro market.
The middle-band width for Chicago is 44320, ranging from a P25 of $82,260 to a P75 of $126,580. The national median for this role is $102,440, so the Chicago median is slightly lower than the national figure. Comparisons show Kankakee, IL, at a median of $94,690, and Niles, MI, at $92,820. National industrial benchmarks such as Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing ($127,140) and Chemical Manufacturing ($118,700) serve as high-end benchmarks for manufacturing-centric roles.
It is essential to understand the inherent data limitations. The BLS occupation data captures the broad 17-2112 category across all industries, which may include functions outside of plant-floor manufacturing like plant layout CAD design or labor standards. The data excludes performance bonuses, deferred compensation, and other vital pay components. It does not measure employer offers or individual candidate readiness, but rather the broader occupational earnings for the metro area. Always treat these as market-level occupational markers rather than firm-specific salary mandates.
Engineers in the Chicago metro area perform a wide range of tasks from capacity modeling to lean process improvement. The steady median change indicates that employers are holding firm on existing compensation levels. When establishing an offer for an industrial engineer, use the provided middle-band to define the competitive range. Remember that the BLS does not track specific manufacturing duties or tenure, meaning you must integrate these findings with your company's own market positioning to remain competitive for the high-end talent captured by the P75 figure.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Does the 1.2 location quotient mean it is easy to hire engineers in Chicago?
A higher location quotient indicates that the occupation is more prevalent in the region than the national average. It often means a larger local talent pool exists but also implies intense competition.
Why is the Chicago median slightly lower than the national median?
Local salary variations occur due to differences in industry mix and economic scale. It shows that pay for this broad occupation is slightly more conservative in Chicago than the national aggregate.
Should I use the P25 and P75 to set starting salaries?
These percentiles provide the middle 50% of the market. They are standard tools for identifying a base salary range, but they should be adjusted for your company's benefit structure.
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