Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary
In Illinois, engine and other machine assemblers earn $49,630 at the median, or about $23.86 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $52,882 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 41.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Illinois?
About engine and other machine assemblers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Engine and other machine assemblers pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 42.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level engine and other machine assemblers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers 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 | $50K | +0% | 540 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a engine and other machine assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 42.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engine and other machine assemblers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engine and other machine assemblers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,369/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engine and other machine assembler a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for engine and other machine assemblers?
Illinois pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do engine and other machine assemblers make in Illinois?
The median is $49,630 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,480, and experienced engine and other machine assemblers can clear $64,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,288/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 42.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a engine and other machine assemblers 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 engine and other machine assemblers salary is worth about $52,882 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engine and other machine assemblers 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.