Surveyor Salary in Chicago, IL
Surveyors in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $80,060 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $61,334 take-home, or $5,111 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$8,783
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,964
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,161
- Illinois income tax$3,818
- Take-home pay$61,334
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.
Surveyor pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,910 | $22.07 | $36,941 | $3,078 |
| 25th percentile | $59,340 | $28.53 | $47,067 | $3,922 |
| Median (50th) | $80,060 | $38.49 | $61,334 | $5,111 |
| 75th percentile | $102,830 | $49.44 | $76,226 | $6,352 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $126,620 | $60.88 | $91,688 | $7,641 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $80,060 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 surveyor's $61,334 take-home pay has the buying power of $59,206 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Surveyor jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.77), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for surveyors, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 23 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $125,060 | $87,718 | $75,872 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $100,510 | $73,114 | $68,689 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $94,970 | $71,113 | $65,683 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,750 | $68,661 | $65,502 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,950 | $73,975 | $65,138 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $76,710 | $60,243 | $61,885 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,500 | $62,980 | $60,958 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,040 | $62,008 | $60,464 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $80,060 | $61,334 | $59,206 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 23 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surveyor make in Chicago, IL?
The median surveyor salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $80,060 a year, or about $38.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,340 and $102,830.
What is a surveyor’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $80,060 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $61,334 a year ($5,111 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,818 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a surveyor?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $75,440. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $59,206 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #10 of 23 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a surveyor 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) — 30% of a median surveyor’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
- Environmental Engineer — $110,700
- 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