Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines Salary in Chicago, IL
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $74,090 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $57,430 take-home, or $4,786 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,470
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,594
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,074
- Illinois income tax$3,523
- Take-home pay$57,430
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.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,860 | $22.05 | $36,903 | $3,075 |
| 25th percentile | $58,140 | $27.95 | $46,162 | $3,847 |
| Median (50th) | $74,090 | $35.62 | $57,430 | $4,786 |
| 75th percentile | $83,520 | $40.15 | $63,597 | $5,300 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,570 | $50.27 | $77,364 | $6,447 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $74,090 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 mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines's $57,430 take-home pay has the buying power of $55,437 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.50), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #2 of 9 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $95,410 | $70,067 | $60,605 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $74,090 | $57,430 | $55,437 |
| 3 | Riverside, CA | $76,040 | $58,465 | $54,926 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $81,000 | $61,457 | $54,116 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $78,060 | $60,127 | $53,416 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $62,410 | $52,326 | $53,054 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | $62,860 | $52,688 | $51,109 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,440 | $51,777 | $50,115 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 9 metros →
About the job: mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.7% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines make in Chicago, IL?
The median mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $74,090 a year, or about $35.62 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,140 and $83,520.
What is a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $74,090 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $57,430 a year ($4,786 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,523 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $65,510. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $55,437 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #2 of 9 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines 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) — 32% of a median mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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