Salary guide, May 2025
Process 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 Process 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 examines the Industrial Engineers SOC classification for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, to support recruitment for Process Engineer roles. The area median of $101,760 is slightly lower than the national median of $102,440. The local middle band width is $44,320, calculated from the P25 of $82,260 and P75 of $126,580.
This middle band width is nearly aligned with the national middle band width of $45,650, reflecting a consistent distribution of pay for this occupational group in the region.
Between May 2024 and May 2025, the local median grew by $820, while the national median rose by $1,300. The metro reports a location quotient of 1.2, indicating strong industrial engineering employment density. As the BLS maps these figures across all sectors using the Industrial Engineers category, the data does not isolate technical process engineering requirements like DOE, SPC, or continuous plant process knowledge. The annual salary data is strictly base pay and does not reflect total compensation packages.
National manufacturing benchmarks show significantly higher medians, such as Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $127,140 and Chemical Manufacturing at $118,700. These sectors exemplify the specialized manufacturing roles we screen for, requiring Six Sigma proficiency and strong root cause analytical capabilities. Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics aggregates all industrial engineering roles, it remains silent on the specific skills or industry complexities that dictate pay premiums in high-performing process engineering environments.
Nearby comparison metros include Kankakee, IL, with a median of $94,690 and a middle band width of $37,600, and Niles, MI, with a median of $92,820 and a middle band width of $36,560. The Chicago median is higher than both comparison points. Calculations are based on Census 2025 internal geography. The broad occupational data is intended as an aggregate reference only, and we advise against using it as an absolute proxy for specific process engineering roles or personal compensation.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How does the Chicago median wage compare to the national median?
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin median of $101,760 is slightly lower than the national median of $102,440. This is based on the most recent BLS industrial engineering sector data.
How did the median wage change in Chicago between May 2024 and May 2025?
The Chicago median increased by $820 over that year. This is lower than the $1,300 growth seen in the national median for the same occupation.
Does the report distinguish between different plant process experiences?
No, the report reflects the broad Industrial Engineers category. It does not segment data by process experience, such as continuous flow or batch thermal operations, which we evaluate during screening.
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