Illinois · SOC 17-2041
Chemical Engineer Salary in Illinois
VerifiedPublished wages for chemical engineers in Illinois, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Chemical Engineers in Illinois earn a median of $120,360 per year ($120,970 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $95,750–$150,260; the top 10% earn $171,110. That is 1% below the national median of $121,860, ranking Illinois #14 of 43 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$120,360
-1% vs national
Top 10% earn
$171,110
90th percentile
Employed in state
490
Reliability Moderate (12% RSE)
Chemical Engineer pay distribution — Illinois vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $74,230 | -5% |
| 25th percentile | $95,750 | — |
| Median50th percentile | $120,360 | -1% |
| 75th percentile | $150,260 | -1% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $171,110 | -6% |
| Meanaverage | $120,970 | -6% |
Where chemical engineers earn most in Illinois
Metro areas in Illinois where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2041. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. LouisSt. Louis, MO-IL | $127,100 | $189,600 | 180 |
| ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $119,490 | $177,340 | 360 |
| PeoriaPeoria, IL | $108,380 | $143,100 | 30 |
Illinois engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.61
Jobs per 1,000
0.08
State rank (pay)
#14 of 43
All engineering roles
$114,895
A location quotient of 0.61 means chemical engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2041 (Chemical Engineers), Illinois (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →