Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Illinois is $126,620/year ($60.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $134,917 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 18.3% 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 $127K get you in Illinois?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for materials engineers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 18.5% 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for materials engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Materials 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 | $100K | -21% | 250 |
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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 materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 18.5% 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 materials engineers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,307/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $127K here vs. $113K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Illinois pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $135K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $126,620 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $71,780, and experienced materials engineers can clear $165,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 18.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials 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 materials engineers salary is worth about $134,917 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials 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.