Environmental Engineer Salary in Chicago, IL
Environmental Engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $110,700 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $81,373 take-home, or $6,781 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median environmental engineer salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$15,524
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,863
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,605
- Illinois income tax$5,335
- Take-home pay$81,373
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Environmental Engineer pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $80,240 | $38.58 | $61,452 | $5,121 |
| 25th percentile | $95,470 | $45.90 | $71,412 | $5,951 |
| Median (50th) | $110,700 | $53.22 | $81,373 | $6,781 |
| 75th percentile | $128,790 | $61.92 | $93,064 | $7,755 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $153,150 | $73.63 | $108,508 | $9,042 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $110,700 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median environmental engineer's $81,373 take-home pay has the buying power of $78,549 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Environmental Engineer jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.59), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for environmental engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 18 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $127,340 | $98,303 | $99,669 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $129,390 | $95,732 | $93,348 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $128,410 | $99,034 | $89,113 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $133,240 | $92,442 | $86,661 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $127,080 | $87,835 | $83,319 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $138,840 | $95,676 | $82,755 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $115,750 | $83,913 | $80,052 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $120,580 | $86,377 | $79,330 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $110,700 | $81,373 | $78,549 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 18 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a environmental engineer make in Chicago, IL?
The median environmental engineer salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $110,700 a year, or about $53.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $95,470 and $128,790.
What is a environmental engineer’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $110,700 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $81,373 a year ($6,781 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,335 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a environmental engineer?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $107,110. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $78,549 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 18 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a environmental engineer afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median environmental engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Nuclear Engineer — $134,510
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $133,860
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $125,650
- Engineers, All Other — $121,910
- Electrical Engineer — $113,520
- Mechanical Engineer — $102,070
- Industrial Engineer — $101,760
- Civil Engineer — $100,160
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician — $85,510
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $81,790
- Civil Engineering Technologist and Technician — $81,360
- Surveyor — $80,060