Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Illinois is $102,680/year ($49.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $109,409 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $103K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About mechanical engineers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Mechanical engineers pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $104K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 22.4% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineers salary by metro in Illinois
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $129K | +25% | 2,120 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $102K | -1% | 6,900 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $101K | -2% | 150 |
| Bloomington | $101K | -2% | 100 |
| Rockford | $99K | -3% | 640 |
| Springfield | $93K | -10% | 90 |
| Kankakee | $82K | -20% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 22.4% 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 mechanical engineers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,631/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $104K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Illinois pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $102,680 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,150, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $160,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,295/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical 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 mechanical engineers salary is worth about $109,409 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical 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.