Illinois · SOC 17-2051
Civil Engineer Salary in Illinois
VerifiedPublished wages for civil engineers in Illinois, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Civil Engineers in Illinois earn a median of $97,640 per year ($104,430 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $79,400–$126,900; the top 10% earn $154,790. That is 2% below the national median of $99,590, ranking Illinois #25 of 50 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$97,640
-2% vs national
Top 10% earn
$154,790
90th percentile
Employed in state
13,400
Reliability Good (5.7% RSE)
Civil 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 | $66,340 | +1% |
| 25th percentile | $79,400 | +1% |
| Median50th percentile | $97,640 | -2% |
| 75th percentile | $126,900 | -1% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $154,790 | -4% |
| Meanaverage | $104,430 | -2% |
Where civil engineers earn most in Illinois
Metro areas in Illinois where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2051. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpringfieldSpringfield, IL | $102,330 | $158,490 | 450 |
| ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $100,280 | $160,840 | 8,870 |
| St. LouisSt. Louis, MO-IL | $97,930 | $137,460 | 2,820 |
| PaducahPaducah, KY-IL | $97,890 | $132,670 | 110 |
| PeoriaPeoria, IL | $96,880 | $155,750 | 290 |
| DavenportDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $95,220 | $136,550 | 450 |
| ChampaignChampaign-Urbana, IL | $94,990 | $158,850 | 220 |
| BloomingtonBloomington, IL | $89,860 | $133,640 | 120 |
| Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO-IL | $88,500 | $129,800 | 40 |
| DecaturDecatur, IL | $88,070 | $146,090 | 100 |
| RockfordRockford, IL | $84,530 | $136,870 | 140 |
Illinois engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.96
Jobs per 1,000
2.21
State rank (pay)
#25 of 50
All engineering roles
$114,895
A location quotient of 0.96 means Illinois employs civil engineers at roughly the national rate.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), Illinois (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →