Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Illinois is $108,940/year ($52.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $185K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $116,079 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $109K get you in Illinois?
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for aerospace engineers in Illinois runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $135K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 21.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Illinois can be a reasonable trade-off for aerospace engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $185K or more, a $106K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $135K | +23% | 120 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 21.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,690/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $109K here vs. $135K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Illinois pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $108,940 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,170, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $184,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,636/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 21.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a aerospace engineers salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aerospace engineers salary is worth about $116,079 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aerospace engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.