Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, environmental engineering technologists and technicians earn $51,540 at the median, or about $24.78 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $49,754 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 52.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $52K actually covers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About environmental engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Pay for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 52.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for environmental engineering technologists and technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $61K | $64K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $71K | $74K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | $50K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $49K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level environmental engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100K | +67% | 270 |
| Oregon | $81K | +35% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $80K | +34% | 450 |
| Alaska | $78K | +30% | 40 |
| Nevada | $75K | +26% | 70 |
| Maryland | $68K | +13% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +12% | 320 |
| Arizona | $65K | +9% | 190 |
| Maine | $65K | +8% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $63K | +5% | 220 |
| New York | $63K | +4% | 470 |
| Idaho | $62K | +4% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | +3% | 370 |
| Kentucky | $61K | +3% | 200 |
| New Mexico | $61K | +2% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $61K | +2% | 100 |
| Colorado | $61K | +1% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $61K | +1% | 400 |
| Georgia | $61K | +1% | 670 |
| Utah | $60K | +1% | 120 |
| Alabama | $60K | +0% | 230 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +0% | 50 |
| California | $60K | +0% | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | +0% | 250 |
| Kansas | $59K | -1% | N/A |
| Montana | $59K | -2% | 80 |
| Iowa | $59K | -2% | 80 |
| Texas | $57K | -5% | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $55K | -9% | 40 |
| South Dakota | $54K | -10% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $54K | -10% | 120 |
| Indiana | $53K | -11% | 130 |
| Virginia | $52K | -13% | N/A |
| Florida | $52K | -13% | 420 |
| Ohio | $52K | -14% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $52K | -14% | 50 |
| Illinois | $52K | -14% | 80 |
| Michigan | $51K | -15% | 220 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | -18% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -20% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -24% | 200 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | -33% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $37K | -39% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 52.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/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 environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,832/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $52K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for environmental engineering technologists and technicians?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineering technologists and technicians make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $51,540 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,370, and experienced environmental engineering technologists and technicians can clear $65,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,408/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 52.3% 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 environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $49,754 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental engineering technologists and technicians 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.