Illinois · SOC 15-1252
Software Engineer Salary in Illinois
VerifiedPublished wages for software engineers in Illinois, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Software Engineers in Illinois earn a median of $127,770 per year ($127,030 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $98,800–$159,280; the top 10% earn $172,020. That is 4% below the national median of $133,080, ranking Illinois #21 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$127,770
-4% vs national
Top 10% earn
$172,020
90th percentile
Employed in state
54,490
Reliability High (4% RSE)
Software 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 | $75,450 | -6% |
| 25th percentile | $98,800 | -4% |
| Median50th percentile | $127,770 | -4% |
| 75th percentile | $159,280 | -6% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $172,020 | -19% |
| Meanaverage | $127,030 | -12% |
Where software engineers earn most in Illinois
Metro areas in Illinois where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 15-1252. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $130,030 | $173,770 | 41,320 |
| KankakeeKankakee, IL | $121,770 | $169,820 | 70 |
| BloomingtonBloomington, IL | $121,590 | $159,150 | 1,300 |
| St. LouisSt. Louis, MO-IL | $120,490 | $166,510 | 9,360 |
| DavenportDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $110,070 | $157,290 | 1,160 |
| DecaturDecatur, IL | $108,320 | $160,530 | 70 |
| PaducahPaducah, KY-IL | $104,620 | $151,550 | 140 |
| PeoriaPeoria, IL | $104,330 | $149,730 | 650 |
| SpringfieldSpringfield, IL | $102,710 | $164,350 | 690 |
| RockfordRockford, IL | $102,510 | $157,470 | 410 |
| ChampaignChampaign-Urbana, IL | $101,110 | $157,230 | 600 |
| Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MO-IL | $97,130 | $127,180 | 90 |
Illinois engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.84
Jobs per 1,000
8.98
State rank (pay)
#21 of 51
All engineering roles
$114,895
A location quotient of 0.84 means software 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 15-1252 (Software Developers), Illinois (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →