Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
In Illinois, 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. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $54,917 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 41.5% 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 $52K get you in Illinois?
About environmental engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Illinois 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 $1,407/month, which is 41.3% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for environmental engineering technologists and technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
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 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 | $52K | +0% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 41.3% 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 environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,528/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $52K here vs. $60K 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 environmental engineering technologists and technicians?
Illinois pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineering technologists and technicians make in Illinois?
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 $42,130, 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 Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,408/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 41.3% 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 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 environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $54,917 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.